Item M4BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: Wed. June 17, 2009
Bulk Item: Yes No X
Division: BOCC
Department: Commissioner Di Gennaro
Staff Contact Person/Phone #: Tamara Lundstrom
305 289-6000
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval to waive the minor conditional use permitting fee for
development of the Aqua Ranch property on Long Key,
ITEM BACKGROUND: The Aqua Ranch is located at the old rock quarry site on Long Key and has
never been developed; therefore a minor conditional use permit is required for any construction at the
site. Charles Barra, owner and operator of the Aqua Ranch project is working with the Florida Keys
Community College and Florida Fish & Wildlife with various marine environment enhancement
projects, including fish and marine life studies and restocking, diver safety, etc. As the Aqua Ranch
projects involve studies and efforts to improve the marine environment, resulting in a public benefit, it
would be appropriate to waive the current minor conditional use permitting fee of $8,484.00. The cost
to the County is the loss of revenue to offset Growth Management staff time involved through the
lengthy approval process of a minor conditional use development application.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: $0 INDIRECT COST:
BUDGETED: Yes ^No
COST TO COUNTY: 8 484.00 SOURCE OF FUNDS: General Fund
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing Risk Management _
DOCUMENTATION
DISPOSITION:
Revised P09
Included XX Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
Aqua Ranch
PO Box 779 RECEIVED JUN 05 2009
Long Key, FL 33001
www.aquaranch.ora
(305) 509-7753 — Office
(864) 237-8242 - Cell
The Florida Keys' lifeline is the natural environment in which it is located. This environment is
increasingly threatened by human nature and the attraction that it brings. The damage we bring
can be restored through programs the Aqua Ranch wishes to mature over the coming years.
These programs utilize property that has been manipulated by man to build the road systems
throughout the Keys. These old rock quarries will be utilized to grow corals, sea grasses,
different protected fish species and sharks for research and conservation efforts. These plants
and animals combined in a closed system like this rock quarry create a balanced ecosystem
which can be used to harvest and restock into the local environment.
Coral Reefs
Our coral restoration program collaborating with Dr. Robert Bullis is intended to save our coral
reefs. We use our salt lake to grow hundreds of species of coral in larger quantities than can be
done in tanks and planted back into the reef system in the Florida Keys,
Sea Grass
Sea grass is an extremely important habitat for marine species. These beds are used as a
nursery for many reef fish as well as a water polisher that prevents sediment from smothering
corals on the reefs. Prop scars are the main cause of destruction of sea grass beds and so the
Aqua Ranch will replant seedlings grown in the lake into these prop scars for rehabilitation.
Wild Fish Stock Enhancement
Wild fish stocks are being decimated around the world. This program focuses first on our local
fish stocks. The Aqua Ranch has begun with a Grouper Enhancement Program in which tens of
thousands of small Grouper will be hatched and raised just past the high mortality rate (six
months) then released and tracked as fingerlings into the wild for fishermen to catch later.
Shark Conservation Program
Shark conservation is not a topic many people want to hear in the Florida Keys, for obvious
reasons. They are dangerous and a big nuisance to fishermen. The intention of this program is
to keep sharks away from people. To let sharks feed themselves and not feed off the fish on
our lines is within the grasp of the Aqua Ranch through patented chemical and magnetic
products produced on the premises. The fishermen will reach their limits of fish quickly with less
fish being taken by sharks. This in turn saves the sharks from human slaughter.