Title:
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Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Wetlands Mitigation Credit Purchase Agreement to purchase mitigation bank credits needed for the Slavia Road Improvements, from Red Bug Lake Road to Aloma Ave (S.R. 426) project (CIP # 01785146). District1 - Dallari and District2 - Zembower (Tawny Olore, P.E., Public Works Director)
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Division:
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Public Works - Engineering
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Authorized By:
Tawny Olore, P.E., Public Works Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Arturo Perez/407-665-5716
Background:
The Slavia Road Capacity Improvement project, from Red Bug Lake Road to State Road 426 is a Gen 3 project, is currently under design (90% plans have been submitted to the county ). The purpose of the project is to widen Slavia Road along this corridor from two to four lanes. Due to the widening, impacts to the adjoining wetlands which border the existing road are unavoidable and impacts to them must be mitigated by state and federal law. The impacts to state regulated wetlands were mitigated during prior permitting with the St. Johns River Water Management District. Federal impacts were originally to be mitigated via permitting with FDEP; however, due to the US District Court vacating the state’s 404 permitting authority in February 2024, the 404 permitting process was remanded to the US Army Corps of Engineers. As such, the 404 permitting process for this project had to be redone through USACE, at which time they assessed an impact of 0.98 direct and 1.48 secondary for a total of 2.46 direct and secondary acres of federally regulated wetlands. Based on the Wetland Rapid Assessment Procedure (WRAP), a methodology used to assess wetland impacts, it was assessed that the mitigation would consist of a purchase of 0.52 Corps WRAP General Wetland credits. Seminole County, in order to satisfy this requirement, obtained a binding cost estimate from Holland Properties, Inc . (for $15,000 per credit) and Jesup Station Mitigation Area & Colbert Cameron Mitigation Bank (for $30,000 per credit), for the required credits conclude the USACE 404 permitting process. Seminole County has elected to proceed with the purchase of credits from Holland Properties, Inc., the lowest bidder.
Requested Action:
Staff requests the Board approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Wetlands Mitigation Credit Purchase Agreement to purchase mitigation bank credits needed for the Slavia Road Improvements, from Red Bug Lake Road to Aloma Ave (S.R. 426) project (CIP # 01785146).