§ 4.01.09. Environmentally Sensitive Areas—Upland Significant Wildlife Habitat

A.

In Hillsborough County, most of the original upland wildlife habitat has been replaced with urban, suburban or agricultural development. The remaining upland habitat is comprised of xeric and mesic natural plant communities which are either uncommon, scarce, occur in very restricted geographic areas, or have few high quality sites remaining. Protection of those xeric and mesic habitats which constitute significant wildlife habitat is necessary to retain habitat diversity and wildlife corridors and to maintain healthy and diverse populations of wildlife.

B.

Identification of Upland Significant Wildlife Habitat

1.

Uplands which potentially constitute significant wildlife habitat are those natural plant communities listed as xeric or mesic habitats in this section and mapped on the County's Geographical Information System as significant wildlife habitat.

2.

Xeric habitats are:

Sandhill

Sand Pine Scrub

Xeric Oak Scrub

Scrubby Flatwoods

Xeric Hammock

3.

Mesic habitats are:

Dry Prairie

Pine Flatwoods

Mesic Hammock

4.

If the Administrator demonstrates that an unmapped area meets the significant wildlife habitat definition and size/width criteria as described in the Significant Wildlife Habitat Guidelines of the Development Review Procedures Manual, Section 4.1.6 the Administrator shall notify affected property owners of the public hearing at which the Board shall consider amending the GIS map to designate the area as land which potentially constitutes significant wildlife habitat.

5.

Determination of the existence, type, and extent of any upland significant wildlife habitat shall be made by the Administrator by conducting an evaluation upon request or upon submission of an application for a Natural Resources Permit. This determination shall be refutable upon a showing of clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

C.

Protection of Upland Significant Wildlife Habitat

1.

The developer shall protect xeric and mesic habitats which constitute significant wildlife habitat. Protection of xeric habitat shall consist of preservation of all xeric habitat acreage existing on the property, up to and including fifty (50) percent of the upland area onsite. Preservation of mesic habitat shall consist of preservation of all mesic habitat acreage existing on the property, up to and including twenty-five (25) percent of the upland area onsite. However, in no case shall the preservation requirement exceed fifty (50) percent of the upland area onsite. If the application of the provisions of this paragraph would prevent the construction, operation, or maintenance of a utility corridor, the preservation requirements of this paragraph shall be adjusted the minimum amount necessary to accommodate such activities, provided such activities are designed and conducted in a manner to minimize their adverse impacts to significant wildlife habitat.

2.

Preservation of significant wildlife habitat shall be required where necessary to prevent fragmentation of a wildlife corridor. Significant Wildlife Habitat Guidelines, as set forth in the Development Review Procedures Manual, Section 4.1.6 shall be used as a guide for identifying wildlife corridors. The factors to consider when determining minimum corridor widths described in the Development Review Procedures Manual, shall be used as a basis for determining the area of significant wildlife habitat to preserve to prevent fragmentation of a wildlife corridor.

3.

New road rights-of-way shall be routed to avoid traversing significant wildlife habitat, unless there is no feasible and prudent alternative and the roadway design incorporates design features for the safe passage of wildlife, as described in 5., below.

4.

Improvements to existing roads (i.e., road reconstruction or widening) within significant wildlife habitat shall incorporate design features for the safe passage of wildlife, as described in 5., below.

5.

Design features for the safe passage of wildlife shall be appropriate for the wildlife species expected to utilize the crossing and shall be designed in accordance with the recommendations of the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission.

6.

Xeric and mesic habitats to be preserved shall meet the onsite preservation provisions of 4.01.12.

7.

Onsite preservation shall be required only when sufficient management capabilities exist to maintain or restore the habitat to a high quality natural plant community or communities, in accordance with the Habitat Management Guidelines set forth in the Development Review Procedures Manual. The Administrator's determination of the feasibility of onsite management shall be refutable upon a showing of clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

8.

When the amount of significant wildlife habitat to be preserved onsite cannot be sufficiently managed, protection shall consist of preservation offsite of habitat acreage equal to the amount of habitat that would have been preserved onsite according to 1., above, and shall meet the offsite preservation provisions of 4.01.13.

(Ord. No. 01-26, § 2, 9-12-01)