City of Gainesville - File #: 091066.

• File #: 091066.
• Version: 0
• Name: Conservation Easement for Cone Park (B)
• Type: Staff Recommendation
• Status: Passed
• File created: 6/3/2010
• In control: City Manager
• Final action: 6/3/2010
• Title: Conservation Easement for Cone Park (B) This item is requesting approval and authorization to grant a St. John's River Water Management District Conservation Easement over 12.15 acres of wetlands and upland buffer on City-owned Cone Park property, Tax Parcel #10888-000-000.

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
6/3/2010	0	City Commission	Approved as Amended	Pass

Title
Conservation Easement for Cone Park (B)

This item is requesting approval and authorization to grant a St. John's River Water Management District Conservation Easement over 12.15 acres of wetlands and upland buffer on City-owned Cone Park property, Tax Parcel #10888-000-000.

Explanation
Construction work is underway at Ironwood Golf Course, with a target completion date in October. The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is coordinating the construction with a number of agencies, including the St. John's River Water Management District (SJRWMD). Recently SJRWMD staff deemed that construction work is impacting wetlands in 0.86 acres of selected fairways. This represents some low spots and swales in fairways #3, #5, #6, and #17. The construction architect for Ironwood indicates these are high profile areas that are very much in need of drainage. SJRWMD has determined that the City needs to mitigate any impacts to these areas in order to receive a permit.

Ironwood did not have any on-site property that would satisfy the mitigation, but SJRWMD indicated off-site mitigation is an allowed alternative. PRCA staff researched additional department managed properties that are available for mitigation and would meet SJRWMD criteria. PRCA proposes to place 12.15 acres of wetlands and upland buffer on the Cone Park property for the purpose of conveying a conservation easement to St. Johns River Water Management District as mitigation to offset the wetland impact of the Ironwood project. The Cone Park acreage needed for the conservation easement is located on the east side of the active park development and is not part of any future plans for development. Senior Regulatory Scientist, Barbara Hatchitt, of the SJRWMD Environmental Resource Management office, indicated this conservation easement will satisfy the SJRWMD requirement for a permit to be issued to the City to proceed with construction at Ironwood. The permit application is...