HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-92-21 RESOLUTION NO. R-92-21
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, INDIAN RIVER
COUNTY. FLORIDA, SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION PRESENTED BY
THE INDIAN RIVER LAND TRUST TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA
CONSERVATION AND RECREATION LANDS (CARL) COMMITTEE
REQUESTING PURCHASE OF PROPERTIES BORDERING THE PELICAN
ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE~ AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge exists
within Indian River County. Florida. founded as the Nation's
first wildlife sanctuary in 1903 by President Theodore
Roosevelt for preservation and protection of the site's
minute and sensitive river island acreage, thus creating the
prototype for all successive acquisitions to the National
Wildlife System, now 500-strong and encompassing 93,000,000
acres~ and
WHEREAS, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is
formed of ancient spoil islands in the Indian River Lagoon, a
Class 2 Inland Waterway, sheltering hundreds of species of
birds, plants, fish and shellfish, of which 37 species are
considered endangered or threatened~ and
WHEREAS, the Indian River Lagoon's unique geography
occurs at the latitude where the temperate and tropic
climates verge, engendering service, historically, from the
time of the Ais Indians, as a means of transportation and
food production~ and
WHEREAS, the Lagoon is, itself, part of the National
Estuary Program and the spoil islands contained within it now
require immediate, certain, and continuing protection from
adjacent development~ and
WHEREAS, the City of Sebastian has traditionally
proclaimed itself as the home of Pelican Island National
Wildlife Refuge, which is approaching its 90th birthday as a
national historic landmark and will celebrate its centennial
in the year 2003, bringing to the refuge and to the Indian
River County locale attention on a national scale~ and
WHEREAS, the Indian River Land Trust is a private non-
profit organization whose mission is to promote the
preservation, conservation and improvement of such natural
resources and special places in Indian River County, and the
State of Florida Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL)
Committee is charged with the responsibility to prioritize
and purchase properties within the State of Florida that
contain environmentally sensitive lands and habitat~ and
WHEREAS, purchase of 275 additional acres of land on the
eastern barrier islands beside the Indian River Lagoon,
buffering Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, shall
benefit all residents of the State of Florida and the United
States, and shall constrain encroaching development to
protect a natural waterway resource of national, state, and
local significance; increase the regional economy~ protect
the boundary of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge~
and preserve the character of adjacent scenic and historic
places nearby~
NOW. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council, City
of Sebastian, Indian River County, Florida, as follows:
SECTION 1. That the City Council respectfully requests
that the CARL Land Acquisition Advisory Council assign the
highest priority to the purchase of lands buffering Pelican
Island National Wildlife Refuge to ensure protection of this
unique and critically important natural resource, the
wildlife contained therein, and the recreational and historic
areas of local, state, regional and national significance, in
perpetuity.
SECTION 2. This resolution shall take effect
immediately upon final passage.
The foregoing resolution was moved for adoption by
Councilmember ~.~.... The motion was seconded
by Councilmember ~.~k and, upon being put to a
vote, the vote was as follows:
Lonnie R. Powell
Frank Oberbeck
Carolyn Corum
Peter R. Holyk
George G. Reid
The Mayor thereupon declared this Resolution duly passed
and adopted this ~.~- day of ~~J~ , 1992.
by
ATTEST:
Kath~n ~. O~alloran, CMC/AAE
City Clerk
Approv~~
Form and Content:
Charles Ian Nash, Attorney
,~/SEB~LORIDA
/ //~y/~Y~ ~
~ R. ~~, Mayor