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NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT

CONSERVATION ELEMENT

PRINCIPLES

The Core Principles for the Conservation Element are centered around water quality and quantity, air quality, and the wide variety of natural resources found within the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Protect and monitor water and air resources in order to ensure adequate quality and quantity for residents, visitors, and wildlife

Conserve, protect, restore as appropriate, and appropriately utilize the City's wide variety of natural resources, including marine and terrestrial plants, wildlife, and habitats.

CONSERVATION ELEMENT

GOALS AND POLICIES

GOAL 1: Protect and monitor water resources to improve water quality and quantity.

OBJECTIVE CON 1.1: National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Meet or exceed the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulatory standards.

POLICY CON 1.1.1: The City shall report annually to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for requirements of all aspects of NPDES permitting, including, but not limited to, runoff, stormwater, development impacts, and drainage.

OBJECTIVE CON 1.2: Quality and Quantity of Surface Waters

The City shall protect, monitor, and address issues to ensure quality and quantity of surface waters.

POLICY CON 1.2.1: The City shall coordinate with appropriate agencies to facilitate, monitor, and implement procedures relating to surface water protection and enhancement.

POLICY CON 1.2.2: The City shall coordinate with appropriate agencies to regularly sample and analyze surface waters based upon local, regional, and state regulations.

POLICY CON 1.2.3: The City shall minimize impacts to surface waters through land use planning, restriction of activities that cause adverse effects, identification of sensitive areas, public education, and other strategic planning mechanisms.

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OBJECTIVE CON 1.3: Quality and Quantity of Groundwater Resources

The City shall protect, monitor, and address issues pertaining to the quality and quantity of groundwater resources.

POLICY CON 1.3.1: Continue to identify, protect, monitor, and treat all groundwater and aquifer recharge areas to meet or exceed local, regional, and state requirements.

POLICY CON 1.3.2: Continue source-water (wellfield) monitoring, protection, and treatment programs to proactively and reactively address issues to water quality and quantity.

POLICY CON 1.3.3: The City shall maintain and update a Water Supply Plan on a 10-year outlook basis, in coordination with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).

CONSERVATION ELEMENT

GOAL 2: Protect and monitor air quality to provide a higher quality of life for the City's residents and visitors.

OBJECTIVE CON 2.1: Air Quality Standards

Facilitate a comprehensive approach to abide by, or exceed, air quality standards.

POLICY CON 2.1.1: Coordinate with appropriate agencies (e.g. Broward County) to meet federal, state, and county standards pertaining to air quality monitoring and regular sampling.

POLICY CON 2.1.2: Integrate policies from the Climate Change Element that help to reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

GOAL 3: Conserve, protect, and appropriately utilize the City's terrestrial and marine habitats.

OBJECTIVE CON 3.1: Sustainable Landscape and Tree Canopy

Preserve and enhance the natural environment and beauty of the city, improve infrastructure and promote better quality of life by creating a safe, healthy, and sustainable landscape. The City shall continue to enhance its tree canopy to 33% by 2040.

POLICY CON 3.1.1: The City shall review funding opportunities to prepare an Urban Forest Management Plan involving a comprehensive review and assessment of:

• Citywide tree inventory, utilizing GIS
• Existing urban forest resources, including composition, value and environmental benefits;
• Community vision for the city’s urban forest;
• Guiding documents, including ordinance and tree protection policies, development and construction standards, and preservation requirements;
• Adaptation and response to sea level rise and climate change;
• Urban forestry operations, including continuing funding service levels; and
• Funding for citywide large canopy tree planting in city properties and right-of-ways.

Public participation through the process shall be a critical component and requirement of this comprehensive review and assessment.

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POLICY CON 3.1.2: The City shall maintain tree canopy strategies to enhance and maintain the urban forest and prioritize planting in low canopy neighborhoods to meet the Press Play urban tree canopy goal.

POLICY CON 3.1.3: The City shall continue to update and implement Unified Land Development Regulations (ULDR) to Landscape and Tree Preservation Requirements to provide clear and strong standards and conditions for tree protection.

POLICY CON 3.1.4: The City shall include tree planting in each Community Investment Plan streetscape project as appropriate.

CONSERVATION ELEMENT

POLICY CON 3.1.5: Landscape and tree preservation requirements shall be based upon Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM principles in order to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides, minimize irrigation needs and attract wildlife.

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POLICY CON 3.1.6: Plant and tree selection in development, redevelopment, city parks and projects, should increase the species diversity of the urban forest and include the needs of wildlife and rare native plants, including fruit and insects for birds, nectar and host plants for butterflies, native pollinators, shelter and cover needs, biological corridors, seed dispersal, and many other poorly-understood natural areas services. These needs are best served by a wide variety of native plant species in landscaping and restoration.

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POLICY CON 3.1.7: Plant selection in development, redevelopment, and city projects should be based on the right tree, right place principles (RTRP) and the plant’s adaptability to the existing conditions present at the landscaped area and native plant communities, particularly considering appropriate hardiness zone, soil type and moisture conditions, light, mature plant size, desired effect, color, and texture.

POLICY CON 3.1.7a: Tree and plant species on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, (“FLEPPC”) Invasive Plant Species list, as amended, shall not be included in new or redevelopment projects on private and public property, including City owned parks, rights of ways and medians and exotic invasive plant species listed shall be removed from new development and redevelopment sites during construction and replaced with Florida Friendly Landscaping.

POLICY CON 3.1.7b: Plant selection shall include considerations of climate change impacts, including sea level rise and resiliency.

POLICY CON 3.1.8: To the greatest extent feasible, the city shall remove invasive plants growing on city-owned parks, right-of-ways and medians, and replacing them with appropriate native or non-invasive species.

OBJECTIVE CON 3.2: Wetlands Will Be Protected, Conserved, and Monitored

Wetlands and the natural functions of wetlands will be protected, conserved, and monitored.

POLICY CON 3.2.1: Direct future land uses away from wetlands where such proposed land use is not compatible with the protection and conservation of said wetland.

POLICY CON 3.2.2: Abide by federal, state, and local standards for wetland conservation, protection, mitigation, and compensation.

POLICY CON 3.2.3: The City shall consider and encourage where appropriate the utilization of wetlands protection as opportunities to increase park, preserve, and open space.

CONSERVATION ELEMENT

GOAL 4: Conserve, protect, and manage the City’s plants and wildlife.

OBJECTIVE CON 4.1: Wildlife and Species

The City will protect and ensure the management of local plant and wildlife species.

POLICY CON 4.1.1: The City will enforce policies and codes, such as the Clean Marina Program that minimize impacts on marine species, including shellfish and fish species for sport.

POLICY CON 4.1.2: Reduce the careless operation of boats (including speed and wake restrictions) which may harm marine species and habitats, through public education and Marine Unit Police enforcement.

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POLICY CON 4.1.3: The City will ensure that appropriate measures are enacted and enforced to protect species of importance and their habitats, including, but not limited to: manatees, sea turtles, terns, and migratory bird flyways; measures may include lighting, netting, and general use restrictions, enforcement of construction standards, as well as restoration and rehabilitation of habitats, such as eelgrass, reef, and mangrove, and species populations.

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POLICY CON 4.1.4: The City shall continue to identify and manage plant and wildlife species in city-owned natural areas.

POLICY CON 4.1.4a: Continue to maintain the gopher tortoise preserve and habitat near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

POLICY CON 4.1.5: Prohibit unmitigated development and human encroachment in and around areas known to be habitats, reproduction, nesting, or feeding sites for animals listed as endangered or threatened species, or species of special concern.

GOAL 5: Conserve, protect, and appropriately utilize the City’s natural resources, including soils, designated sensitive lands, and natural reservations.

OBJECTIVE CON 5.1: Sensitive and Vulnerable Areas and for Lands of Importance

The City shall recognize, protect, and plan for sensitive and vulnerable areas, and for lands of importance.

CONSERVATION ELEMENT

POLICY CON 5.1.1: Develop criteria based upon County standards for Local Areas of Particular Concern (LAPCs), natural areas as defined by the Florida Natural Area Inventory, Natural Resource Areas (NRAs) to assess environmentally sensitive lands as a measure to protect and conserve valuable ecological communities within the City, which are an integral part of South Florida's and Broward County's natural environment.

POLICY CON 5.1.2: Continue to protect public wellhead areas through cooperating with Broward Environmental Protection and Growth Management (EPGMD), the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in their efforts to monitor and regulate groundwater quality.

POLICY CON 5.1.3: Develop criteria based upon County standards for LAPCs and NRAs to assess environmentally sensitive lands as a measure to protect and conserve valuable ecological communities within the City, which are an integral part of South Florida's and Broward County's natural environment.

POLICY CON 5.1.4: Conduct natural areas assessments of all city owned sites identified by Broward County, and additional natural area sites including those with restoration potential.

POLICY CON 5.1.4a: Assessments of natural areas should include an inventory of living species, the rarity of habitat types, its current conservation condition, and consider the natural areas value relative to Fort Lauderdale.

POLICY CON 5.1.4b: Private land sites shall be considered for possible purchase or land conservation agreements.

POLICY CON 5.1.4c: The City shall regularly evaluate and protect natural areas with permanent conservation status where appropriate, and implement management plans that protect species and habitats to assist the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.

POLICY CON 5.1.4d: The City shall implement natural area programs for public respite, education, and study where appropriate and where no harm to the species living there or degradation of the ecosystem will result from such activities.

POLICY CON 5.1.5: Provide for the protection and conservation of the natural functions of existing soils, fisheries, wildlife habitats, rivers, bays, lakes, floodplains, harbors, wetlands including estuarine marshes, freshwater beaches and shores, and marine habitats.

POLICY CON 5.1.5a: Land Development regulations shall require the protection and/or restoration of beaches, particularly dunes and vegetation, including dune construction, through techniques such as conservation easements, vegetation, elevated walkways, and clustering of development, where appropriate.

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CONSERVATION ELEMENT

POLICY CON 5.1.6: Continue to monitor, evaluate, and rehabilitate lands and areas that are designated as Brownfields and Superfund sites.

POLICY CON 5.1.7: The adequate and appropriate protection and conservation of wetlands shall be accomplished through a comprehensive planning process which includes a consideration of the types, values, functions, sizes, conditions and locations of wetlands, and which is based on supporting data and analysis.

POLICY CON 5.1.8: Future land uses, which are incompatible with the protection and conservation of natural areas shall be directed away from natural areas. The protection and conservation of wetlands by the direction of incompatible land uses away from wetlands shall occur in combination with other goals, objectives and policies in the Comprehensive Plan. Where incompatible land uses are allowed to occur, mitigation shall be considered as one means to compensate for loss of wetlands functions.

POLICY CON 5.1.9: The City shall work to ensure that soil resources are maintained and upkept through conservation, best practices, and monitoring.

OBJECTIVE CON 5.2: Enhancement, Maintenance, and Upkeep of Natural Reservations

The City shall protect its natural resources through the enhancement, maintenance, and upkeep of natural reservations.

POLICY CON 5.2.1: Promote the acquisition, retention, and management of unique natural areas to preserve environmental, recreation, and other public benefits.

POLICY CON 5.2.2: The City shall monitor permit activity in designated Natural Resource Areas (NRAs).

POLICY CON 5.2.3: The City shall be sensitive to the need to protect native vegetative communities from destruction by development or misuse.

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POLICY CON 5.2.4: The Development Review Committee will consider the presence of environmentally-sensitive lands in formulating recommendations for development.

POLICY CON 5.2.5: Plats which include local areas of particular concern shall be referred to the County for Environmental Impact Statements (EISs).