Island News of the Week - Special Edition
A Message From:
THE CITY OF RIVIERA BEACH
Dawn S. Pardo
Council Chair Pro Tempore
District 4
June 9, 2014
Dear Singer Island Residents,
Many of you have requested an update on what appears to be the degradation of land on the west side of A1A adjacent to the intracoastal on Singer Island. Last week, the City became aware that on May 21, 2014, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued to the Joan B. Taylor Trust a permit allowing the trimming of mangroves on property owned by the Taylor Trust (west of the Reaches). As soon as the City became aware, staff viewed the site on the ground and reviewed aerials. Staff, alarmed by how bad the site looked, reached out to the local DEP branch and expressed concern for the mangroves, sea turtles and fish. DEP sent representatives to the site, and last week, our City Attorney Pamala Ryan and Community Development Director Mary McKinney spoke at length with Jason Andreotta, the Program Administrator for DEP about the current permit and the past permit issued in June 2013 by DEP to the Taylor Trust. The June 2013 permit allows the Taylor Trust to build a dock at the site if the local jurisdiction grants a permit. City regulations only allow the building of a dock as an accessory use to a structure; therefore, the City has no intention of granting a dock permit on this part of A1A.
Because the City has serious concerns with DEP's May 2014 permit and the very real implications of the permit, Attorney Ryan has written a letter to DEP, on the City's behalf, expressing the City's intention to file a petition appealing the granting of the permit. Even more, the City is concerned that DEP may have granted the Renegade Trust (west of Seawinds) similar permits as the area south of the Taylor Trust property is being degraded as well. Today the City made a request to DEP for further information on this property.
In the meantime, DEP has stated that in light of new information that has been brought to its attention, it will revisit the site next week (all representatives are out of town at a conference this week) and provide the City with its findings. City staff will be meeting with DEP staff and contacting other agencies that may have jurisdiction over this highly sensitive land to determine what can be done to protect the area.
I will continue to keep you apprised.
Sincerely,
Dawn Pardo
~ (O) 561-845-3683
- (C) 561-876-9657
- (E) [email protected]
~ (Facebook) Singer Island, District 4
- (Twitter) dawnpardo