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Home My WebLink About2003 May - Environmental Site AssessmentG. IC ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. GEORGE R. KULczyci I Environmental Consulting 155 McKee Lane Vero Beach, FL 32960 772-567-9129 F ENVIRONMENTAL 'ShTE ASSESSMENT WETLANDS, SCRUB JAY,, -AND GOPHER TORTOISE SURVEY • OF ` PROPERTY LOCATED AT: 57.0± ACRES / SEBASTIAN SITE SECTIONS 6,,& 7, TowNstrip 3. s, ,RANGE 39E — 1V'I}IAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA .T y Prepared for: Mr. Coy A. Clark, President Clark Development Company Melbourne, FL Brevard County • May 2003 • 0 U Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Purpose 1.2 Scope of Services 1.3 Scrub Jay Survey Methodology 1.4 Gopher Tortoise Survey Methodology 1.5 Wetland Delineation Methodology 2.0 Site Description 2.1 Location and Legal Description 2.2 Site and Vicinity Characteristics 2.3 Site Vegetation 2.4 Endangered and Threatened Species 2.5 Regulatory Wetlands 3.0 Findings and Conclusions 4.0 Appendix 4.1 Location Map, Aerial Photograph, Scrub Jay Station Maps / Gopher Tortoise Burrow Location Map, Wetland Location Map, Photographs, Scrub Jay Data Sheets Page 2 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment 'v1av 300 • 0 1.0 INTRODUCTION G. K. Environmental, Inc. (GKE) has been retained by Mr. Coy A. Clark, President of Clark Development Company, to conduct an Environmental Site Assessment of the subject property located in Indian River County, Florida, Sections 6 & 7, Township 31S, Range 39E (57.0± acres). The site visits were conducted on March 21 through March 25, 2003. 1.1 PURPOSE The specific purpose of these surveys were to identify the possible location and/or potential occurrence of. the Florida scrub jay (five day survey), gopher tortoises, and the location of regulatory wetlands, on the property, located Iat Sections 6 & 7, Township 31S, Range 39E, Indian River County, Florida, and Ito determine the probability of other endangered and/or threatened species potential on site. The project purpose is to construct a single-family home subdivision on the subject site. A five-day scrub jay survey was conducted on site. F, i LJ Page 3 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment Mav 200 1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES • A) GKE to complete a systematic five (5) day survey for the presence of Florida Scrub Jay in accordance with USFWS — Jacksonville Field Office Scrub Jay Survey Guidelines (April 19, 2001) and guidelines set forth in Ecological and Development — Related Habitat Requirements of the Florida Scrub Jay (Alphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens), Non -Game Wildlife Program Technical Report #8, Office of Environmental Services, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (nka Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), April 1991. B) GKE to provide a detailed site inspection / transects of the subject site and verify, photograph, map burrow locations and provide habitat description in accordance with Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations, Chapter 68A-27 (fka Ch.39-27.002(4)) and Ecology And Habitat Protection Needs Of Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) • Populations Found On Lands Slated For Large -Scale Development In Florida, Nongame Wildlife Program Technical Report No. 4. • C) GKE to flag regulatory wetlands in accordance with current state and federal regulations. D) GKE to meet with SJRWMD on site to verify and request letter from ACOE of no jurisdiction, due to isolation of wetlands. E) GKE to assess site for client as to the potential of other endangered & threatened species and include such findings in report. Page 4 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment May 2003 1.3 SCRUB JAY SURVEY METHODOLOGY GKE ecologist established seven (7) north/south and east/west transect locations (twelve stations), within the boundaries of the subject 57.0± acre parcel, with three (3) additional stations in the proximity of the access road right of way parcel (see enclosed aerial). GKE played the Florida scrub jay calls for a total of seventy-five (75) playbacks, located along the seven (7) transects for five (5) days of consecutive sampling. At each playback station, GKE played scrub jay territorial scolds, including the female hiccup call, for not less than one (1) minute in all four compass directions. The calls were produced on a high quality, handheld cassette player, broadcast at full volume in all four compass directions. The scrub jay survey was conducted on March 21 through March 25, 2003. The survey was conducted in the mornings on calm, partly cloudy days. The survey began approximately one (1) hour after sunrise and ended prior to midday. 1.4 GOPHER TORTOISE SURVEY METHODOLOGY Five (5) north/south serpentine transects and six (6) east/west transects were established within the project boundaries. Areas were observed along each transect side for the presence of gopher tortoises and or gopher tortoise burrows (see attached aerial). Areas surrounding burrow concentrations were closely inspected for additional burrows. Survey was completed between March 21 and March 25, 2003. 1.5 WETLAND DELINEATION METHODOLOGY Location flagging for state and federal regulatory wetlands was completed on March 21 and 22, 2003 in accordance with Florida Administrative Code (FAC) 62-340 and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Wetland Delineation Manual / Page 5 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment May 2003 Technical Report Y-87-1. Delineated wetlands will be field located on a 1" - 200' • scale Indian River County blue -line aerial. 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION • 2.1 LOCATION AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION Subject parcel(s) contain approximately 57.0± acres and is located in Section(s) 6 & 7, Township 31 S, Range 39E, Indian River County Florida. 2.2 SITE AND VICINITY CHARACTERISTICS The subject site is located north of the Sebastian Elementary School on S.R. 512 and south of Main Street. The subject site(s) contain approximately 57.0 acres of undeveloped land with predominantly dense native vegetation covering the entire site. The site is surrounded by the City of Sebastian; however, the subject site is within the Indian River County Jurisdiction. Land to the north is undeveloped. Land to the east and west is an existing single-family housing development. Land to the south (along S.R. 512) is the Sebastian Elementary School. An FP&L utility station is located adjacent to the northwest corner of the subject site. IA single-family home is located in the northeast corner of the subject parcel. U Page 6 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment y May 2003 2.3 SITE VEGETATION • The majority of the site, is heavily wooded and consists of, but not limited • • to: UPLAND AREAS Slash Pine...............................Pinus elliottii Sand Pine ...............................Pinus clausa Live Oak.................................Quercus virginiana Scrub Oak...............................Quercus inopina Chapman Oak.........................Quercus chapmanii Saw Palmetto.........................Serenoa repens Wiregrass...............................Aristida stricta Runner Oak ............................Quercus pumila Gopher Apple.........................Licania michauxii Gallberry ................................Ilex glabra Reindeer Moss .......................Cladina sp. Rosemary ...............................Certiola ericoides Rusty Lyonia.......................... Loyonia ferruginea 3 -Pedal Paw Paw....................Asimina triloba WETLAND AREAS Red Bay..................................Persea humilis Cabbage Palms .......................Sabal palmetto Wax Myrtle ............................Myrica cerifera Royal Fern..............................Osmunda regalis Chain Fern ..............................Woodwardia virginica Dahoon Holly .........................Ilex cassine Cord Grass.............................Spartina bakeri Willows..*,*'*'*****'*"**"*'"* .... .....'Salix spp. Panicum.................................. Red Root................................Lachnanthes caroliana 2.4 ENDANGERED AND TBREATENED SPECIES No Florida scrub jays or any endangered or threatened species were observed on the proposed development site during the five-day survey / site inspections. The project site and surrounding site vegetation to the north, east, Page 7 of 9 OKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment May 2003 and west are not considered viable scrub jay habitat, as these areas are either • developed or contain heavily forested sand and slash pine communities. I[! One state listed "species of special concern" located on site is the gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus. Fifteen (15) burrows were located within the large parcel. No burrows were observed in the smaller triangle parcel on S.R. 512 (see attached aerials). Potential habitat for the eastern indigo snake, Drymarchon corais couperi, as with most native Florida communities, exists on site. However, no individuals were observed on site. No wading birds or nests were observed in or around the wetlands. The surrounding and abutting areas are developed, which would lessen the likelihood of significant endangered & threatened species utilization on the subject site. Avian fauna observed include but not limited to: morning dove, Zenaida macroura; cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis; blue jays, Cyanocitta cristata; mockingbirds, Mimus polyglotto; vultures, Coragyps atratus; and crows, Corvus brachyrhynchos. 2.5 REGULATORY WETLANDS Three (3) isolated wetlands exist on site (see enclosed aerial). The wetlands have been flagged by GKE and verified by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). The wetlands are isolated from waters of the state and should not require an Army Corps of Engineers permit to impact. However, the wetlands are all over 0.5 acre in size and a SJRWATM permit and mitigation will be required if these wetlands are impacted. Additionally, Page 8 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment May 2003 • • SJRWMD will require an upland buffer (15-25 feet) to be preserved surrounding the wetland area or mitigated for secondary impacts as a result of loss of buffer. A letter validating no jurisdictional wetland locations from the ACOE has been requested. 3.0 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS A) No Florida scrub jays were observed within the project boundaries during the five-day survey of the subject development. Significant and viable habitat for this species does not exist within the project boundaries, due to dense ground and canopy vegetation cover. B) No other endangered and/or threatened species or significant and viable associated habitat(s) were observed or appear to exist within the project boundaries, except for the potential existence of the eastern indigo snake. C) One "Species of Special Concern" exists on the subject site, which is the gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus. Fifteen (15) gopher tortoise burrows were identified during the site inspections. No inactive burrows were observed. A state regulatory gopher tortoise "Incidental Take" permit (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) will be required prior to permitted land clearing activities by local government, along with payment to the State of Florida (FFWCC) for mitigation for loss of gopher tortoise habitat. George R Kulczycki, Priart al Ecologist END OF REPORT Date Page 9 of 9 GKE / Clark / Sebastian Site Environmental Site Assessment May 2003 • Hul APPENDIX • • • LEFT BLANK NTENTIONALLY 0 •