FedEx Distribution Center - Homestead Biological Assessment Report

Transcription

1 FedEx Distribution Center - Homestead Biological Assessment Report PREPARED FOR: SUNCAP PROPERTY GROUP PREPARED BY: DRMP, INC. 941 LAKE BALDWIN LANE ORLANDO, FL PHONE: FAX: DRMP No October 2014

2 FedEx Distribution Center Homestead Biological Assessment Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION... 1 II. METHODOLOGY... 1 A. Literature Search... 1 B. Wetland Evaluation... 3 C. General Wildlife Survey... 3 III. EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS... 3 IV. SITE EVALUATION RESULTS... 5 A. Wetland Assessment... 5 B. Listed Species Assessment... 5 V. PERMITTING... 5 VI. CONCLUSION... 5 LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1: Project Location Map... 2 Figure 2: Land Use Map... 4 ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Photographic Log of Site Conditions... 7 Page

3 FedEx Distribution Center Homestead Biological Assessment Report I. INTRODUCTION SunCap Property Group owns and intends to develop a 50.0± site in Miami-Dade County, Florida. SunCap Property Groups has contracted DRMP to develop a Due Diligence Package. The Due Diligence Package will be submitted to Fed Ex for the development of a Distribution Center on the site. As a part of the Due Diligence Package, DRMP scientists performed a preliminary environmental evaluation on the 50.0± acre site (project area). The purpose of this report is to provide a preliminary wetland assessment and identify the potential presence of protected species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and/or the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The plant communities and wildlife habitats within the project area were generally evaluated according to state and Federal guidelines. This report is a summary of the methodologies and results of the evaluations. The project area consists of three parcels that are located east of SR 821 (Florida s Turnpike), southwest of the intersection of SW 272 nd Street and SW 127 th Avenue, in Sections 35, Township 56 South, and Range 39 East within (Figure 1). The land use in the project area consists entirely of inactive land with street patterns without structures (Figure 2). The project area has internal paved roads and was used for base housing for the Homestead Air force Base personal. The majority of the project area is currently vegetated with is cover in the exotic Burma Reed (Neyraudia reynaudiana), which is listed on the Florid Exotic Pest Plant Council List of Most Invasive Plants Species. Other plant species observed include, beggars tick (Bidens alba), Lantana sp., dog fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia), earleaf (Acacia auriculiformis), live oak (Quercus virginiana), and other grass species. II. METHODOLOGY A. Literature Search Prior to conducting a field visits, a literature search was performed to determine if any protected species, wetlands and/or critical habitats have been documented within the project area. The following lists the referenced literature review prior to the field visits and the results of the site evaluations are summarized below: 1. USDA Soils Conservation Service Soil Surveys for Miami-Dade County 2. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soils data for Miami-Dade County; 3. United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic Quadrangle Maps Goulds; 4. Environmental Science Research Institute s (ESRI) Online World Imagery;

4 \\drmp1\data\projects\projects09\ _two_#9_sr600_us17_92_seir\environmental\location_map.mxd Miles 0.5 USGS Quad Map 1304 (Goulds) Project Location: Sections: 35 Township: 56 S Range: 39 E MONROE DADE Project Location Location Map SunCap Property Group October 2014 FedEx Distribution Center - Homestead / Figure 1

5 5. South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Florida Land Use Cover and Forms Classifications System (FLUCFCS) data; 6. USFWS geographic information system (GIS) database 7. FFWCC GIS databases; 8. FFWCC 2013 Florida s Endangered Species, Threatened Species and Species of Special Concern-Official Lists; and 9. Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) database of listed species for Miami- Dade County. B. Wetland Evaluation Field visits of the project area were conducted on October 17, 2014 by a qualified DRMP biologist to evaluate the potential for occurrence of wetlands. Vegetative Community, stratification, and hydric characteristics were documented and photographed. Wetlands, if present, were classified based on the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) FLUCFCS (1999) and the USFWS Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (Cowardin, et al. 1979). C. General Wildlife Survey General wildlife surveys were performed on October 17, 2014 to identify potential protected species within the project areas. The general wildlife survey was conducted in accordance state and Federal Regulations for protected species. Field surveys consisted of pedestrian transects in habitats that protected species would likely to occur. All observations of protected wildlife species were documented and these observations included direct sighting of protected species or signs of their presence including tracks, burrows, dens, scat, nests, or calls. In addition, the field surveys included habitat assessment, ground-truthing of aerial photography and existing land use data. III. EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS According to available SFWMD land use/land cover, the sites consist of inactive land with street patterns but without structures (FLUCFCS 1920) and golf course (FLUCFCS 1820) (Figure 2). The following section describes the observed the land use within the project area: Golf Course (FLUCFCS 1820) This mapping unit includes all facilities that are involved with the operation of the golf course and associated recreation, including club houses, storage buildings and parking lots. Although classified as a golf course, the facility has been abandoned and is over grown with Burma reed, beggars tick, Lantana, Dog fennel, tallow, Brazilian pepper, ear leaf acacia, live oak scattered palms, pasture grasses and ornamental/exotic species. Inactive Land with Street Patterns but without Structures (FLUCFCS 1920) These are open areas where development had been halted or abandoned. It does not include developments that are under construction, or incomplete, or that are slowly being completed. Lands in this class have street patterns but few if any buildings. This land use represents the vast majority of the project area and vegetation observed in the area was FedEx Distribution Center Homestead October 2014 Biological Assessment Report Page 3 of 9

6 Legend Project Area FLUCFCS Description Golf Courses Path: P:\Projects\Projects14\ _FedEx-Homestead_Addendum_to_Phase_I\Permits\24-17-Exhibits\GIS\Land_Use.mxd Inactive Land with Street Pattern but without Structures Data Source: Land Use - SFWMD 2008 Imagery - ESRI Land Use Map SunCap Property Group October 2014 FedEx Distribution Center - Homestead 250 / Feet 500 Figure 2

7 dominated by Burma Reed, Biden alba, Lantana, Dog fennel, tallow, Brazilian pepper, ear leaf acacia, live oak scattered palms, pasture grasses and ornamental/exotic species. IV. SITE EVALUATION RESULTS A. Wetland Assessment Prior to conducting a field visit, a literature review was performed in order to evaluate the potential presence of jurisdictional wetlands within the project area. During the literature review no wetlands were identified utilizing FLUCFCS, USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Maps GIS data and aerial interpretation. Additionally, the soils within the project area are mapped as non-hydric soils. During the field visit on October 17, 2014, the findings of the literature review were confirmed and there are no jurisdictional wetlands or other surface waters within the project area. B. Listed Species Assessment A literature search was performed in order to evaluate the potential presence of any protected species and/or their critical habitats within and adjacent to the project area. The project area occurs entirely within the USFWS consultation areas for the Florida bonneted bat. The project area also falls within the core foraging area (CFA) of the Tamiami Trail East wood stork colony. However, during the general wildlife survey conducted on October 17, 2014 no wood storks or Florida bonneted bats were observed and the site does not contain the suitable habitat necessary to support these species. Protected species with the potential for occurrence within and adjacent to the project area include the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi), gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus), Gopher frog (Rana capito), Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus), and the Florida burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia). During the general wildlife survey no observations or evidence of these species was observed within the project area. Additionally, the site does not contain the necessary habitat to support these species. No state or Federally protected species were observed within the project area and the site does not contain the suitable habitat necessary to support these species. V. PERMITTING Based on the review of the available information and the site visit performed on the October 17, 2014, it is anticipated that no wetland or protected species permitting would be required for the development of this parcel. VI. CONCLUSION Based on the field evaluations, no wetlands and other surface waters were located within the project area. Therefore, there are no impacts are anticipated to jurisdictional wetlands and no environmental resource permitting will be required by state or Federal agencies. In addition, the FedEx Distribution Center Homestead October 2014 Biological Assessment Report Page 5 of 9

8 results general wildlife survey and the habitat assessment concluded that there is a very low potential for state and Federally protected species to utilize the project area. No coordination and/or permitting with USFWS or FFWCC is anticipated during the design phase or the construction phase of this project. FedEx Distribution Center Homestead October 2014 Biological Assessment Report Page 6 of 9

9 Attachment A Photographic Log of Site Conditions FedEx Distribution Center Homestead October 2014 Biological Assessment Report Page 7 of 9

10 Photographic Log FedEx Distribution Center - Homestead Photo taken 10/17/2014 Figure 1-1

11 Photographic Log FedEx Distribution Center - Homestead Photo taken 10/17/2014 Figure 1-2