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BREVARD COUNTY / FLORIDA - Zoning:
Xeriscape Warning
May 24, 2004
Just received by snail mail today (Monday) from
the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners:
The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. in Bldg. 'C' of the Viera
Govt. Center. New Business falls toward the end of the meeting. Should
you be interested in requesting a time certain, please call Chairman
Higgs' office at 321-952-6300.
It will take too long to type (copy) the entire four pages of
attached documents, but here are the major Red Flags:
... in the utilization of betterment plans ... including, but
not limited to:
1. Existing site conditions ...
2. Redevelopment sites ...
3. Sites where type or distribution of existing canopy or
other protected trees ...
It is also the intent of the Board of County Commissioners
that criteria be established for the evaluation of betterments plans
to include:
1. Results in landscaping that exceeds specific goals and
intent of landscape regulations.
2. Provides sufficient tree plantings to achieve a tree canopy
equal to 30% of the site within 5 years of planting or 5% more than
what existed at the time of development, whichever is less.
3. Provides heat island mitigation and landscape buffers, as
required.
4. Demonstrates that alternative plan designs would not result
in meeting the specific landscaping/tree protection requirements
outlined elsewhere in the code.
5. Replaces protected trees with new plantings of the same
species at a rate of 150% of the diameter at breast height (dbh) of
the trees removed, using minimum 4" dbh plantings. (Citrus trees
can be replaced with native species.)
6. Reduction of parking requirements up to 30% in order to
preserve existing protected trees and their canopy.
It is also the intent of the Board of County Commissioners to
provide that public projects such as roadway projects, utility
corridors and stormwater retrofit projects be allowed to mitigate for
their canopy impacts by protecting similar habitats off-site.
The agricultural exemption page has not been copied.
This is an excerpt from the "Legislative Intent Tree
Removal Permits" page:
" ... provide for a tree removal permit option to be used
under limited circumstances ... this tree removal permit would require
replacement of removed trees with native species where applicable, and
to exclude citrus trees from canopy and preservation requirements.
Citrus trees and non-native trees would not require
replacement. ..."
NOTICE
"Our office has just received notice that the Brevard
County Commission agenda item VI.C.1. dealing with the Legislative
Intent - Land clearing and tree protection and landscaping regulations
that was scheduled for the May 18, 2004, commission meeting, HAS BEEN
MOVED to the May 25, 2004, commission meeting. All of the information
remains the same as our previous notice sent to you, except the
date."
Subject: Legislative Intent - Land clearing and tree
protection and landscaping regulations.
Dept./Office: Natural Resources Management Office
Requested Action: Request the Board approve Legislative Intent
for amendments to Chapter 62, Article XIII, Division 2-Landscaping and
Division 3- Land Clearing and Tree Protection, Brevard County Code.
Summary Explanation & Background: On March 16, 2004, the
Board authorized staff to proceed with developing draft legislative
intents to address the use of betterment plans for canopy preservation
and adverse site conditions, agricultural exemptions and tree removal
permits.
Staff requests the Board's consideration of the following
options:
1. Approve the attached legislative intents and direct staff
to draft proposed amendments.
2. Provide other direction.
Staff contacts: Sherry Williams (Environmental Permit
Reviews), 321-633-2016 Sherry.williams@brevardcounty.us
or
Amanda Elmore (Supervisor, Landscape and Land Clearing,
Agricultural Exemptions, Development Review), 321-633-2016 amanda.elmore@brevardcounty.us
Fax: 321-633-2029
Cost/Benefit Analysis: This proposal has no
impact on the General Revenue Fund. The amendments may reduce costs
for new developments by providing flexibility in landscape and tree
protection design standards for difficult sites. The landscaping, land
clearing and tree protection provisions provide standards for
preservation of trees, canopy, heat island mitigation, and landscape
buffers.
Xeriscape landscaping - An innovative, comprehensive approach to
pollution prevention and water use efficiency that incorporates all of
the following: planning and design, soil analysis, appropriate plant
selection, practical turf areas, efficient irrigation, use of mulches,
and appropriate maintenance (Welsh et al., 1993). - EPA Water
Glossary. http://www.epa.gov/OW/you/glossref.html
Here's some quick searching at Google.com with search terms
bolded:
Results 1 - 10 of about 65,500 for xeriscape
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