§ 4.01.08. Environmentally Sensitive Areas—-Uplands Providing Significant and Essential Wildlife Habitat; General Provisions

A.

Sections 4.01.08 through 4.01.13 provide standards and guidelines for the protection of upland significant wildlife habitat, generally, as well as upland habitat for endangered and threatened species and species of special concern, (i.e., upland essential wildlife habitat).

B.

Onsite preservation shall be considered the most desirable alternative to protect upland habitat and plant and wildlife species. However, in some cases as specified in these regulations and determined by the Administrator in cooperation with the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission and, when appropriate, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the protection of upland wildlife habitat or upland habitat for endangered or threatened species or species of special concern will be best accomplished through offsite preservation.

C.

Natural upland areas within a proposed development project shall count toward meeting the requirements for onsite preservation only when such natural areas meet the applicable onsite preservation criteria.

D.

When multiple offsite preservation acreage requirements are applicable to the same onsite habitat, only the requirement for the largest amount of preservation acreage for that habitat shall apply.

E.

Nothing in these sections shall limit the ability of the Administrator to address other resource issues in the upland portions of a proposed development project for which standards are contained in this Code.