Administrative Regulation 11.11-2

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:   AR: 11.11-2 DATE APPROVED: March 22, 2016
SUBJECT: Criteria For Wildlife Mitigation On County Projects ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: Public Works

POLICY:

The Board of County Commissioners is responsible for providing, maintaining and when necessary, expending public infrastructure serving the citizens of Citrus County. These public holdings include roads, utilities, drainage, public building and parks.

On occasion it is necessary to create or expand these facilities in natural areas that host wildlife. State and federal regulations establish the mitigation standards for these impacts that can include payment in lieu of relocation.

The Board recognizes the value of preserving the County's natural heritage and hereby establishes this administrative regulation to guide staff in project management when wildlife impacts are expected to occur.

PROCEDURE:

  1. When a public project will result in site modification of a natural area, the site shall be professionally surveyed for listed species impacts prior to or concurrent with project design.
  2. Staff or County retained consultants will utilize design protocols that avoid or minimize impacts on natural areas. These shall include, but not be limited to, reduced footprints, retained native vegetation, nest tree or borrow avoidance and relocation.
  3. Even if mitigation fees which authorize wildlife impacts are utilized, County staff or County retained consultants will endeavor to move impacted wildlife or listed plants out of harm's way utilizing acceptable and sound relocation methodology.
  4. Should wildlife impacts be unavoidable due to the minimum necessary to accomplish the project, they shall be limited to the minimum necessary to accomplish the project.
  5. The County shall seek out, participate in, and support conservation projects by both public and private organizations that will preserve environmentally valuable lands, wildlife concentrations, critical habitat, or wildlife corridors.
  6. The County shall partner with public agencies on acquisition, management, or provision of recreational improvements on public lands.
  7. The County shall participate in public project evaluation and design of projects undertaken by other public agencies and encourage those agencies to utilize the criteria in the A.R. in their design protocols.
FOOTNOTES & REFERENCES TO RELATED AR’s: Supersedes AR 11.11 dated February 10, 2004.