TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Heron Creek Scrub Jay Management Plan
Recommended Action
Provide staff direction on the current status of the Heron Creek DRI Scrub Jay Management Plan.
Background Information
The Heron Creek Development of Regional Impact (DRI) was submitted to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, along with the City of North Port in 1996. At the time of adoption, it was determined that the habitat supported a population of Florida Scrub Jays in an area labeled "Creek 9," located north of Sumter Blvd. and west of the Snover Waterway. As a result of this initial finding, the DRI was approved with a Scrub Jay management plan to conserve this habitat.
On March 22, 2017, the City of North Port received a letter from Ian Vincent and Associates Environmental Consulting Services (IVA) regarding the status of the Florida Scrub Jay preserve within Heron Creek. This study and letter were completed on behalf of the National Land Group, the controlling interest of the Heron Creek DRI. In the opinion of IVA, the habitat had become overgrown and no longer lends itself to being utilized by the Florida Scrub Jays which had last been seen on the property in the original 1995 survey. An additional 2002 Florida Scrub Jay survey had also noted overgrown habitat and failed to produce any evidence of the species.
On May 14, 2019, during the public comment section of a City Commission meeting, discussion ensued regarding the ongoing requirements of the Scrub Jay management plan.
"There was a consensus that staff review plan compliance and provide the semi-annual reports to the Commission in the next three to four months."
Staff was directed to review the existing Scrub Jay management plan for compliance in addition to delivering the biannual Heron Creek DRI status reports to the Commission. In researching the Scrub Jay management ...
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