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Plantation Point: 

Extinction of the Florida scrub jay in Rockledge, the last two families of scrub jays, at least nine individuals will be wiped out in Rockledge if this development is approved.

IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEARING!  MAY 15, 2002 at 7:00pm.  Rockledge City Council, will consider the request for PRELIMINARY PLAT at Rockledge City Hall 1600 Huntington Lane.

 

Tim Jelus and Hugh Evans Jr. from Forte Macaulay Development Co., have requested Preliminary Platting for R2A zoned property (8 units per acre, low density multi-family) a total of 183 lots on 96 undeveloped acres located on the south side of Barnes Boulevard, east of Ventana and Ashwood Lakes Subdivisions.  

Plantation Point development stands to contribute to urban sprawl, over crowded schools, under-funded infrastructure improvements, demands for potable water, mitigate and destroy natural resources, Federal and State listed species, and mine retention areas to fill 100 year Floodplain for the construction of homes built on low elevation lands.

The "Plantation Point" property is located on the south side of Barnes, directly south of the 141 acre EEL's (Environmentally Endangered Lands) Cruickshank Sanctuary and directly north and west of 411 acres of Viera conservation land.  The property contains nine wetlands and Federal and State listed species such as the endangered wood stork, threatened Florida scrub jay, threatened Eastern indigo snake, and species of special concern the gopher tortoise and it's many commensual species.

Currently both the Cruickshank Sanctuary and Viera conservation lands are being managed to optimize habitat for Florida scrub-jays, Eastern indigo snakes, gopher tortoises and other associated scrub species. The proposed Plantation Point subdivision will completely cut off the Cruickshank Sanctuary from the other conservation lands, will fragment the wildlife corridor, and will diminish the County’s conservation efforts.

In 1993, the Florida Conservation and Recreational Lands (CARL) program identified the Plantation Point property as important for conservation, and eligible for matching funds to purchase for conservation. On August 13, 2001, EEL submitted an application to the Florida Communities Trust Florida Forever Program for funding to purchase, or obtain conservation easements on, the Property and adjacent areas of Rockledge and Viera. On November 30, 2001 Florida Forever approved $6,600,000 matching dollars for habitat acquisition within the Rockledge Coastal Scrub Ecosystem Project, making available a total $14,245,000 for conservation acquisition of 34 parcels along the Central Mainland Wildlife Corridor in Rockledge and Viera.

The purpose of the Rockledge Coastal Scrub Ecosystem Project “is to protect one of the last core areas of the central Brevard Florida scrub-jay populations and associated scrub species and habitats.” Benefits to the community to include: 1) “Provide open space and greenway corridor opportunities in a rapidly developing commercial and residential area”; 2) “Relieve potential hazard mitigation circumstances by preventing development in a designated LMS 100 year floodplain and wildland/urban interface area”; 3) “Protect an essential core area of scrub and other natural communities in central Brevard County for the Florida scrub-jay population and associated scrub species”; 4) “Protect water quality within a Class 1 water drainage basin”; and 5) “Provide on site educational programs on the natural resource, historical and water quality benefits afforded by protection of the Project Site.” According to EEL, “[a]cquisition of lands in the Project Site will make possible the development of greenways, connector trails and wildlife corridor systems currently proposed as potential amenities in the Brevard County Greenways & Trails Master Plan developed and approved by the Metropolitan Planning Organization.” The project “will serve to connect the rapidly growing residential developments within and surrounding the City of Rockledge to the passive recreational opportunities and business/downtown areas of Rockledge and Cocoa.”

Forte Macaulay requested, through the Corps of Engineers, a Section 7 Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in order to obtain an Incidental Take Permit which would allow the developer to take, harass, harm, kill and clear the habitat of the Federally threatened Florida scrub jay and Eastern indigo snake populations.  A biological opinion was written by Annie Dziergowski of the USFWS and is available to the public. Call Annie at (904) 232-2580 ext. 116, to obtain a copy of the document.

On Friday April 19, 2002 the Brevard County, Florida based Partnership for a Sustainable Future – a broad-based coalition of citizen groups, including the Indian River Audubon Society, Friends of the Scrub, Sierra Club Turtle Coast Group, Florida Native Plant Society Conradina Chapter, League of Women Voters of the Space Coast, Sea Turtle Preservation Society, and Barrier Island Protection and Preservation Association, Inc. – filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division a request to set aside the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Incidental Take Statement for the two families of Florida scrub-jay and approval of the proposed 96 acre, 183 lot Plantation Point residential subdivision on Barnes Boulevard in Rockledge, Florida. FWS failed to require onsite mitigation, or even consider in an environmental impact statement – that an important wildlife corridor be preserved between the 141 acre Cruickshank Sanctuary and the 411 acres of Viera Development of Regional Impact (DRI) conservation lands.

To help conserve Florida Scrub-Jays the Indian River Audubon Society (IRAS) has created a Scrub Legal Fund to help protect local scrub ecosystems and the native wildlife which depend on these systems.  Individuals may make tax deductible donations to IRAS. Please be sure to designate Scrub Legal Fund at the bottom of the check. Mail donations to: Carroll Holland, 350 Glen Haven Dr. Merritt Island, FL 32955

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All interested parties will be heard May 15th, 2002 on the impacts including but not limited to:

Together We Stand…Together We Can Make a Difference!

Write a letter or call and tell Rockledge City Council members how this proposed subdivision development affects you.

Kendall Moore  work 633-5644, home 633-8116, 429 Cobblewood Dr. Rockledge
Tom Price  work 632-2554, home 639-0109, 11 Wincove Lane, Rockledge
Georgia Phillips  work 690-6846, home 636-6759, 856 Westport Dr. Rockledge        Joe Lee Smith  home 636-2166, 918 Levitt Pkwy. Rockledge                              Richard Blake  work 632-5300, home 632-2096, 916 Brunswick Lane, Rockledge   Ralph McCoig  work 633-4964, home 633-4432, 1025 Rockledge Dr. #212
Mayor Larry Schultz  work 867-7705 home 632-7522, 1820 Laurel Oak Dr.
Jim McKnight, City Manager 690-3978 email: jmcknight@cityofrockledge.org

You can voice your concerns directly to the City of Rockledge: www.cityofrockledge.org
and follow the links to Sound Off.

History: FORTE MACAULAY DEVELOPMENT, Inc., changed the name of PINE ACRES SUBDIVISION to PLANTATION POINT.   Forte Macaulay Development withdrew the application from the city of Rockledge for PUD zoning on June 19, 2001, and applied for a Army Corps of Engineers permit June 12, 2001 under the name Pine Acres.

E-mail us at: conservationteam@mindspring.com