Coversheet

ITEM 18.
Natural Resources - Consent


AGENDA ITEM REPORT

DATE:	November 16, 2021
DEPARTMENT:	Natural Resources
REQUESTER:	Roland Ottolini
TITLE:	Provide Direction to Draft Manatee Slow Speed Zone Ordinance

I.	MOTION REQUESTED
	Direct staff to draft a manatee slow speed zone ordinance applicable to Captiva Island (bayside including Roosevelt Channel), North Captiva (Safety Harbor), and Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande Bayou) and seek approval of the ordinance from FWC.

II.

ITEM SUMMARY

Provides staff direction to draft a County ordinance creating year round slow speed zones for manatee protection in bayside areas along Captiva Island (quarter-mile buffer including Roosevelt Channel), North Captiva (Safety Harbor), and Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande Bayou).

Based upon the best available scientific information, manatees inhabit these areas on a regular basis and there is a need to post these areas as year round slow speed zones for manatee protection.

III.

BACKGROUND AND IMPLICATIONS OF ACTION

	A)	Board Action and Other History

	B)	Policy Issues
		Manatee protection speed zones can be implemented by FWC, or by local government ordinance adoption in compliance with the requirements of Section 379.2431, Florida Statutes. This County ordinance would be subject to approval by FWC, and in accordance with statute, would be reviewed with the best available scientific data.

	C)	BoCC Goals

	D)	Analysis
		Based upon the best available scientific information, manatees inhabit the bayside areas along Captiva Island (quarter-mile buffer including Roosevelt Channel), North Captiva (Safety Harbor), and Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande Bayou) on a regular basis including winter use. Accordingly, there is a need to post these areas as year round slow speed zones for manatee protection. Maps 3A-C depict areas proposed to be year round slow speed zones for manatee protection under a new County ordinance. This County ordinance would be subject to approval by FWC, and in accordance with statute, would be reviewed with the best available scientific data. FWC does not have current plans to review Lee County speed zones. Therefore, Natural Resources Staff compiled and reviewed the best available scientific data including aerial surveys (2007-09), State winter synoptic (one-day) surveys (1991-2019), state carcass recovery data (1975-2019), seagrass maps, and navigation charts. Staff concludes that the data supports a new local ordinance request to FWC to post year round manatee slow speed zones for the areas depicted in the attached Maps 3A-C. The areas along Captiva Island (quarter-mile buffer including Roosevelt Channel), North Captiva (Safety Harbor), and Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande Bayou) were previously regulated as idle speed under previous County Ordinances or are currently seasonal slow speed manatee zones April 1 through November 15 under state law. The areas depicted in the attached maps 1A-C were previously regulated as year round idle speed zones for approximately 30 years. The attached maps 2A-C depict the existing state manatee zones requiring slow speed from April 1 through November 15.

	E)	Options

IV.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

A)	Current year dollar amount of item:	No funding required.
B)	Is this item approved in the current budget?	N/A
C)	Is this a revenue or expense item?	N/A
D)	Is this Discretionary or Mandatory?	N/A
E)	Will this item impact future budgets? If yes, please include reasons in III(D) above.	No
F)	Fund: Program: Project: Account Strings:
G)	Fund Type?	N/A
H)	Comments:

V.	RECOMMENDATION
	Approve

VI.	TIMING/IMPLEMENTATION
	Draft ordinance will be submitted to FWC for technical approval and then brought back to the Board to schedule for public hearing.

VII.	FOLLOW UP

ATTACHMENTS:
Description	Upload Date	Type
Maps 3A-C Proposed Zones	10/26/2021	Backup Material
Maps 2A-C Existing FWC Zones	10/26/2021	Backup Material
Maps 1A-C Former Idle Speed Zones	10/26/2021	Backup Material

REVIEWERS:
Department	Reviewer	Action	Date
Natural Resources	Ottolini, Roland	Approved	11/3/2021 - 1:58 PM
Budget Services	Guttery, Angela	Approved	11/4/2021 - 8:05 AM
Budget Services	Winton, Peter	Approved	11/4/2021 - 8:39 AM
County Attorney	Adams, Joseph	Approved	11/4/2021 - 10:26 AM
County Manager	Harner, David	Approved	11/4/2021 - 3:27 PM