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Home My WebLink About2021-5-11 Environmental Assessment (1) Engineering Design & Construction, Inc. 10250 SW Village Parkway, Suite 201, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987 772-462-2455 www.EDC-Inc.com April 26, 2021 Jack Byers Southern Truss Companies 2590 North King Highway Fort Pierce, FL 34951 772-464-4160 VIA Email: bosshoss@bellsouth.com Reference: Environmental Assessment Southern Truss Expansion 2590 Kings Highway St. Lucie County, FL Parcel ID # 1336-231-0001-000-2 & 1336-240-0000-000-3 Dear Mr. Byers, EDC, Inc. (EDC) has completed this Environmental Assessment (EA) for the above referenced property. The purpose of this evaluation was to conduct a review of the above listed parcel by means of site visit, review of available aerial photography, listed species review, review of soil resources, and review of environmental regulation pertaining to this parcel. The following report details the findings of our on-site and desktop investigations of the properties as they pertain to St. Lucie County regulations. Please contact the undersigned if you have any questions regarding this report. Respectfully submitted, EDC, Inc. Madison Quinones, BS Field Biologist 20-381 EA Page 2 of 6 April 26, 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Parcel ID: 1336-231-0001-000-2 & 1336-240-0000-000-3 Southern Truss Expansion St. Lucie County, FL Date: April 26, 2021 Project # 20-381 Prepared For: Jack Byers Southern Truss Companies 2590 North King Highway Fort Pierce, FL 34951 772-464-4160 Prepared By: EDC, Inc. 10250 SW Village Parkway Port St Lucie, Florida 34987 (772) 223-5200 20-381 EA Page 3 of 6 April 26, 2021 The subject property evaluated as part of this Environmental Assessment consists of two tax parcels (Parcel ID #1336-231-0001-000-2 & 1336-240-0000-000-3) comprised of approximately 30.66 acres. The property is classified by the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser as 11.61 acres of lumber yard (land use code of 4300) and 19.05 acres of unclassified agricultural land (land use code 9900). The combined parcels are located at 2590 N Kings Highway in St. Lucie County, Florida. The subject property is further located within Section 36, Township 34 South, and Range 39 East and within light industrial (IL) and agricultural-1 (AG-1) zoning districts. This environmental assessment was completed as a precursor to permitting and revie w by a governmental agency as an applicable document for the supporting information associated with a building permit or land development application. EDC, Inc. staff visited the property on February 23, 2021 and April 23, 2021 in order to ascertain the status and composition of any critical habitats, such as wetlands and native uplands that may be onsite. VEGETATION: It is the opinion of EDC that there is no native upland habitat located on site due to more than 50% of the vegetation located onsite consisting of exotic/invasive vegetation. The upland habitat consisted of the following FLUCCS (Florida Land Use & Cover Classification System) code ; 150 – lumber yard, 212 – unimproved pasture and 213 – woodland pasture. It is important to note that there is native vegetation present, but the native vegetation does not have significant associations and is therefore not considered to be native habitat. Furthermore, the woodland pasture located on the eastern tax parcel consists of a pavilion structure that was constructed within the past year. Common Name Species Name Cabbage Palm Sabal Palmetto Live Oak Quercus virginiana Strangler Fig Ficus aurea Sedges Cyperaceae spp. Paper Mulberry** Broussonetia papyrifera Brazilian Pepper** Schinus terebinthifolia Giant Bamboo** Dendrocalamus giganteus Lychee Tree** Paspalum notatum Bahia Grass** Litchi chinensis *Nuisance Vegetation **Exotic/Invasive Vegetation Table 1: This table lists a representative sample of upland vegetative species observed during the site visit. WETLAND DELINEATION: According to aerial photographs and site visit, it appears that there are no State jurisdictional wetlands on site. Based on the State definition, a wetland consists of three components: 1) hydric soils, 2) wetland plants, and 3) hydrologic patterns. None of these components were found during the field reconnaissance on the property. However, State defined “other surface waters” (OSW) are located onsite. A man-made ditch runs along the north and west property boundaries of the east tax parcel as well as from the wooded area to the east property boundary. These ditches connect to a Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District (FPFWCD) canal that runs along the east 20-381 EA Page 4 of 6 April 26, 2021 and south property boundaries of the east tax parcel. In addition, there is an existing retention pond located on the eastern end of the west tax parcel. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) conducted an informal wetland determination on April 23rd, 2021 and confirmed that there are no wetlands located within the project boundary. Please refer to the attached Florida Land Use and Cover Classification System (FLUCCS) map for the approximate location of the habitat associations onsite. WILDLIFE EVALUATION: EDC, Inc. conducted a pedestrian survey throughout the property to investigate for the presence of any plant or animal listed species. No gopher tortoises, their burrows or habitat were observed on site. Furthermore, the subject property is located within the USFWS (US Fish and Wildlife Service) Northern Crested Caracara consultation area and does consist of foraging and nesting habitat. However, no nesting or foraging caracara were observed on site. A formal caracara survey may be required prior to development to determine caracara site utilization. Surveys are to be conducted during nesting season (January – April). No other listed animal or plant species were observed on site. SOIL COMPOSITION: Based on a review of the USDA Web Soil the site is composed of: Arents, 45 to 65% slopes – Arents are nearly level and ranges from somewhat poorly drained to moderately well drained. The soil consists of fill material that were excavated and spread over the surface of wet mineral soils. The mixed fill layer is typically 20 to 50 inches thick. The water table is below a depth of 30 inches for most of the year. Organic matter and thus the agricultural potential for this soil is low. Chobee loamy sand, frequently ponded, 0 to 1% slopes – Chobee series consists of very deep, very poorly drained, soils that formed in thick beds of loamy marine sediments. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Under natural conditions Chobee soils are used for water quality and wildlife habitat, some areas are drained and used principally for citrus, pasture, and range. Potential native vegetation consisting of arrowhead, cabbage palm, carolina willow, cypress, maidencane, pickerelweed, lilies, sawgrass, smartweed, wax myrtle, slash pine, water oak, understory of ferns and water tolerant grasses, and scattered swamp maples in treeless areas. Some areas have a growth of ash, gum, maple, and cypress. Hilolo loamy sand – Hilolo fine sand is fine-loamy, silicious, poorly drained and slowly permeable soil. These soils are found in dense palm hammocks and along the borders of sloughs and depressional areas. The surface layer is fine sand to a depth of eight inches. The water table is at a depth of less than 10 inches for 2 to 4 months in most years. Natural vegetation is cabbage palm, water oak, longleaf pine and slash pine with an understory of wax myrtle, saw palmetto and inkberry. Citrus crops are well suited for this soil. The s oil has high potential for dwellings without basements, small commercial buildings and roads. Water control measures are necessary to overcome excessive wetness. 20-381 EA Page 5 of 6 April 26, 2021 Riviera fine sand, 0 to 2% slopes – This nearly level soil is poorly drained and has a surficial layer of dark gray sand about four inches thick. The water table is typically at less than 10 inches for two to four months of the year. The soil is well suited for pasture and hay crops. Natural vegetation includes slash pine, cabbage palm, wax myrtle, blue maidencane, broom sedge, pineland threeawn, cord grass, panicums and a variety of sedges. Riviera Fine Sands are loamy, silicious, nearly level and poorly drained soils that formed in beds of sandy and loamy marine sediments. These soils are on broad, low flats and in depressional areas. The water table is within a depth of 10 inches for 2 to 4 months in most years and between a depth of 10 and 30 inches for most of the rest of the year. Wabasso sand, 0 to 2% slopes – This soil is a nearly level, poorly drained soil in broad open areas of the flatwoods. The surface layer is sand about 8 inches thick. The upper 4 inches is black and the lower 4 inches is dark grey. The water table is typically at a depth of less than 10 inches for 1 to 4 months during the wet season, and at a depth of 10 to 40 inches for 6 to 9 months in most years. Natural vegetation is slash pine, cabbage palm, saw palmetto, running oak, inkberry and fetterbush. Common grasses are threeawn and bluestem. The soil has severe limitations for cultivated crops and citrus due to wetness. The soil has high potential for dwellings without basements, small commercial buildings, local roads and streets. Winder loamy sand – This is a poorly drained, nearly level soil found in hammocks and along drainage ways. The surface layer typically is black loamy sand that is 6 inches thick. The water table is within a depth of 10 inches of the surface for 2 to 4 months and between a depth of 10 to 40 inches for most of the rest of the year. The natural vegetation associated with this soil type includes cabbage palm, willow oak, scattered long leaf and slash pine and an understory of wax myrtle and saw palmetto. This soil has high potential for dwellings without basements, small commercial buildings, local roads and streets. SITE HISTORY: After reviewing aerial images provided by Google Earth and St. Lucie County Property Appraiser, the subject property appeared to be an agricultural production consisting of row crops from the earliest available aerial image of 1994. Also evident in this image is the disturbance of the wooded area located near the center of the eastern tax parcel. There is a cleared area near the north end and clearings/row crops cutting into the south end of the wooded area. According to the property appraiser, the industrial building was developed on the west tax parcel off of Kings Highway in 2004. This is evident in the 2006 Google Earth aerial image. Furthermore, the eastern tax parcel appears to no longer be utilized for row crop production. In the 2009 aerial image, further disturbance via clearings have been made throughout the wooded area on the eastern tax parcel. According to the current landowners, the eastern parcel was/is being utilized for grazing cattle and a cattle pen was built near the north end of the wooded area (year unknown). Lastly, a pavilion structure was constructed within the past year on the southern end of the wooded area on the eastern tax parcel. 20-381 EA Page 6 of 6 April 26, 2021 SAINT LUCIE COUNTY REGULATIONS: The following lists the Saint Lucie County Land Development Regulations that apply to the subject property. As part of the local approval process, the applicant will be required to comply with the below items. Section 6.00.03.A. No person shall conduct any vegetation removal activities from or on any lot or parcel of land within the unincorporated area of St. Lucie County without first obtaining a Notice of Vegetation Removal from the Public Works Director. No protected tree (native vegetation 24 inches or greater dbh or 10 foot C.T. for palms) shall be removed from any residential parcel (including those within AG-5, AG-2.5, AG-1, AR-1, RE-1, and R/C zoning districts) (Sec. 6.00.03.D.3.). Trees meeting the protected trees criteria were observed onsite. Please refer to the tree survey provided with this submittal. A Vegetation Removal Permit may be required for this site. Section 6.00.05.D. When native vegetation meeting the mitigation size thresholds in Table 1 of this section has been approved for removal, the Vegetation Removal Permit shall only be used after an acceptable mitigation plan has been reviewed and approved by the Environmental Resources Director. Trees meeting the protected trees criteria were observed onsite. Please refer to the tree survey provided with this submittal. A tree mitigation plan may be required for this site. SUMMARY: It is the professional opinion of EDC that there is no native upland habitat located on site. The site consists of 30.66 acres comprised of 11.61 acres of lumber yard (land use code of 4300) and 19.05 acres of unclassified agricultural land (land use code 9900). The subject property is located within light industrial (IL) and agricultural-1 (AG-1) zoning districts. Based on the criteria described above for “protected trees” within St. Lucie County, trees meeting these criteria were observed on site. Depending on the proposed development and impacts to existing native vegetation onsite, a vegetation removal permit and associated tree mitigation plan may be required for this project. In addition, SFWMD conducted a wetland determination on April 23rd, 2021 and confirmed that there are no wetlands located within the project boundary. Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida Location Map Project: 20-381 04/26/2021 N Project Location Southern Truss Expansion Property Appraiser Map N Project: 20-381 Southern Truss Expansion Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida 04/26/2021 Soil Map N 11 Project: 20-381 38 16 Southern Truss Expansion 55 Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida 4855 04/26/2021 Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS) Map N Project: 20-381 FLUCCS Codes 150 Lumber Yard 212 Unimproved Pasture 213 Woodland Pasture OSW Other Surface Water Project Boundary *This map demonstrates an approximation of habitat boundaries on site. 212 Southern Truss Expansion Retention Pond213 Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida 150 Pavilion Structure 04/26/2021 1994 Google Earth Aerial Image N Project: 20-381 Southern Truss Expansion Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida 04/26/2021 2006 Google Earth Aerial Image N Project: 20-381 Southern Truss Expansion Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida 04/26/2021 2009 Google Earth Aerial Image N Project: 20-381 Southern Truss Expansion Environmental Assessment 2590 N Kings Highway St. Lucie County, Florida 04/26/2021