Resolution 027-1980
RESOLUTION 4F
27-1980
vlliEREAS, the BOARD OF COUNTY CO}lliISSIONERS of MONROE County,
FLORIDA, has received an application from Karen Farley, to construct:
100 1. f. of concrete bulkhead below MHW with riprap at the
toe along the shoreline of a natural creek an the oceanside of Vaca
Key. This construction is to provide private boat moorage.
Approximately 30 cubic yards of backfill is estimated to be necessarily
placed, about 20 cubic yards watenvard of MHW and 10 cubic yards
landward of Mill-J. All work would be performed from existing uplands
and all equipment and materials transported over upland roads. A
mobile crane with niledriver will be used to place and drive pilings
and place sheet pile behind pilings. Riprap will be placed by crane
and clamshell. Turbidity screens are proposed to be used until work
is completed.
The project site is located in a residential area on a natural tidal
creek that branches from Sister's Creek, a larger tidal creek that
opens into the Florida Straits about 2000' to the south. To the
west of Sister's Creek are natural mangrove low areas and feeder
creeks (Boot Key) but to the east residential communities, artificial
channels and basins and filled uplands have altered the area over time.
This area has inter-connecting waterways, some natural and some
artificial waterways. Shreline alterations have occurred, particularly
on the artificial waterways. Natural or pioneer mangrove shorelines
remain along much of these waterways, especially adjacent to Sister's
Creek. Residendial development in the area is about 15% of available
land. Adjacent shorelines are undeveloped except for an unauthorized
seawall to the east of this project site.
The project site is located on a tidal creek just around a point of
land from its connection with the larger, more tidal Sister's Creek.
Sister's Creek connects ultimately with Boot Key Harbor to the north
and thereby into Moser Channel to the west. There is a strong tidal
flow through this portion of Sister's Creek but this flow is reduced
considerably in the site creek because of a culverted causeway that
is located about 1100' up this creek. The present functional value
of these culverts is questionable.
The site shoreline, as well as adjacent shorelines (both sides of
creek), contain large red (Rhizot>hora mangle), black (Avicennia
germinans) and white (Laguhcular1a racemosa) mangroves to about
15-20' tall and numerous yearling red mangroves along MHW. The
shoreline is slightly eroded marl with limited submerged vegetation
below MlPv-J. The embankment drops rapidly to what are believed to
be natural depths though to be about -8 to -12' MLW. Water clarity
in this creek is reduced by the causeway to the east which restricts
flushing and benthic communities in this creek are probably restricted
because of depth, substrate and reduced light penetration. Productive
substrate, protective habitat for fishes and invertebrates and organic
production in this part of this creek system is restricted to the
mangrove fringe and its prop root and aerial root systems and leaf
litter. The most extensive red mangrove prop root habitats are found
on the opposite shoreline from the project site but red mangroves are
also found in various stages of development along the site shore.
The mangrove fringe along this shore, in addition to the above
mentioned benefits, also serve as a filterer of runoff and as a
shoreline stabilizer reducing the need for artificial erosion control.
Submerged root systems serve as attachement sites for a variety of
invertebrates and the attached algae provide a food source for near-
shore organisms. Observed along this shoreline were juvenile
snappers (Lutjanidae), needlefish (Belonidae) and silversides (Atherinidae:
Fishes expected to be present in this area would include tarpon
(Elopidae); grunts (pomadasyidae), porgies (Sparidae), mojarras
(Gerreidae), mullet (Mugilidae) and herring (Clupeidae) in addition
to many others.
BOOK
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APPROVED ON
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Landward of the mangrove fringe for about 50' is a zone of sea ox-eye
daisy (Borrichia) and various upland grasses. Larger vegetation on
the uplands include Brazilian pepper (Schinus) and seaside mahoe
(Thespesia). It is difficult to determine if the uplands were filled
in the past, if they were, it was the very distant past. Land crabs
are common along the fringe and nearby upland areas.
The construction of this seawall as proposed, even though it is along
only a portion of the owner's shoreline, will result in the elimination
of a significant and biologically productive mangrove fringe and set
a precedent in similar adjacent areas for the eliminatbn of this
fringe. Nangrove communities along and below MH~! function to: filter
runoff, reduce erosion, provide protective cover for fishes and
invertebrates, provide attachment sites for various organisms and
algae and supplement organic production of nutrients to a marine
system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS of
MONROE County, FLORIDA, that said BOARD hereby given its approval
for the construction of the above mentioned project.
RESOLVED this
/S~ay of January, 1980, at a Regularly
scheduled Meeting.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
BY
ATTEST: , / Y
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