Circle B Bar Reserve, a popular ecotourism site managed by Polk County Parks and Natural Resources has reopened.
The site was temporarily closed last week after heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby flooded some the trails.
There has been no announcement yet on the reopening of the Lake Hancock boat ramp, which is located south of the lake near the Southwest Florida Water Managment District water control structure.
The storm’s rain has raised lake and stream levels and streamflow volumes to normal or above normal after being below normal earlier this summer.
Tropical Storm Debby Restores Peace River Flow; Circle B Temporarily Closed
The rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby had a good side.
It restored flow in the Peace River to what it should be at this time of year.
Before the storm arrived, flow in the upper reaches of the river in Polk and Hardee counties was well below average for this time of year.
That meant it was barely suitable for a paddling trip, which is unusual for mid-summer.
There was a similar situation in 2004 before three hurricanes crisscrossed the area.
Meanwhile, Polk County officials announced late Monday that Circle B Bar Reserved has been closed temporarily because of widespread flooding of trails and access roads. No reopening date has been announced.
The popular local environmental venue lies on the shore of Lake Hancock, whose level has been raised to allow water to be stored to replenish flow in the Peace River. The rail system lies in the Banana Creek floodplain.
The weather is predicted to return to normal by mid-week. ,
This weekend one event that might be worth considering is an evening event at The Nature Conservancy’s Tiger Creek Preserve near Babson Park that will allow people to see moths and other night-flying insects.
Contact TNC for more info.
Sierra Continues Opposition To Polk’s Proposed Looser Green Swamp Development Rules
Ancient Islands Group has forwarded comments to the Florida Department of Commerce to protest a proposal by the Polk County Commission to loosen development density regulations in the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern.
The Department of Commerce oversees development proposals in the state’s areas of critical state concern in the aftermath of the abolition of the Florida Department of Community Affairs during the Rick Scott administration that reduced most state review of local growth-management decisions.
What Polk County is proposing is to allow easier development on parcels containing wetlands by allowing more density transfers from wetlands areas and using parts of county rights of way to make up for lots that fall short of the required acreage.
The measure is being pushed by County Commissioner Neil Combee on behalf of some of his neighbors along Rock Ridge Road.
Ancient Islands Sierra proposes changing the county development code instead to allow variances in cases of hardship. This would allow the claims to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis rather than giving wholesale exemptions that could potentially allow hundreds of new homes to be developed in this area that is important to the region’s water supplies and regional movement of wildlife through a network of statewide corridors.
State Wants More Info On Polk Septic Plan
County commissioners delayed action Tuesday on a plan to reduce septic tank pollution in eastern and southwest Polk County.
That is because state officials want the plan to include more specific information about how exactly Polk officials plan to bring central sewer treatment to areas served by septic tanks.
Polk’s proposed ordinance talks about reducing pollution–mostly involving nitrogen discharges–in these areas of Polk County that affect the Peace. Kissimmee and Alafia river basins through tougher standards for new development.
However, Polk’s plan does not directly address the idea of converting areas to central sewer service.
The state comments seek specific information on what sewer service is available now, what its treatment capacity is and what that capacity is likely to be 20 years from now
This comes at a time when Polk utility officials are proposing long-delayed updates-sewer rates had been reviewed since 2014–in water and sewer rates to pay for needed expansion of services in unincorporated Polk County.
County commissioners have tentatively scheduled a hearing on the updated septic conversion ordinance for Sept. 17.
Estimated Tax Roll Means More $ For Environmental Lands
Polk County Property Appraiser Marsha Faux recently released the tentative 2024 estimated tax roll.
It is good news for the Polk County Enviornmental Lands Program.
It will mean the budgeted funds from the voter-approved tax will increase from this year’s $11.3 million to an estimated $12.6 million in next year’s budget, which will take effect Oct. 1.
So far Polk County has received about 25 proposals involving more than 11,000 acres and forwarded them to the CLASAC committee for review and to make recommendation to the County Commission.
Most of the proposals have been recommended for further staff review.
This involves determining whether the landowner is interested in selling the property outright or selling a conservation easement. From there the discussion will include whether the county and the property owner can agree on a purchase price and whether the county can work with partners, such as water management districts, to raise the funds to complete a proposed deal.
Final approval of all purchases rests with the County Commission.
It is good news for the Polk County Enviornmental Lands Program.
It will mean the budgeted funds from the voter-approved tax will increase from this year’s $11.3 million to an estimated $12.6 million in next year’s budget, which will take effect Oct. 1.
So far Polk County has received about 25 proposals involving more than 11,000 acres and forwarded them to the CLASAC committee for review and to make recommendation to the County Commission.
Most of the proposals have been recommended for further staff review.
This involves determining whether the landowner is interested in selling the property outright or selling a conservation easement. From there the discussion will include whether the county and the property owner can agree on a purchase price and whether the county can work with partners, such as water management districts, to raise the funds to complete a proposed deal.
Final approval of all purchases rests with the County Commission.
Sierra Critical Of DeSantis Wrongful Bear Shooting Bill OK
Petty bureaucrats typically sign bills and send out press releases that do not reflect well on their public stewardship late on Friday afternoons to avoid serious press coverage because they know the timing coincides with often empty newsrooms.
Gob. Ron DeSantis seems to have that technique down pat.
Friday evening, he signed a bill that Sierra Club has been monitoring that allows people to shoot Florida black bears whenever they allegedly feel threatened by these creatures who are primarily vegetarian.
Sierrra leaders quickly responded.
“Governor DeSantis has delivered a major failure for Florida’s environment by signing HB 87 into law. Since its inception, Sierra Club Florida has called on the Governor to put a stop to this extreme bill, and we condemn him for approving this absurd and dangerous legislation,.” said Susannah Randolph, Sierra Club Florida’s Director.
“This session, Floridians from all sides of the political spectrum united to send a loud, clear message: Kill bad bills, not black bears. Governor DeSantis’ signing of HB 87 further demonstrates that he has no interest in serving the will of the people, or taking real, tangible action to protect Florida’s environment.” said Javier Estevez, Sierra Club Florida’s acting political director.
The approval of this legislation fits into a pattern that the bear-hunting lobby has been pursuing that includes a proposed constitutional amendment, that Sierra also opposes that would make so-called “traditional” hunting methods such as using dogs to chase and tree bears in future bear hunts. into a “right” in the Florida Constitution.
,
;
Cronyism And Questions Delay Looser Green Swamp Regs
The reasons behind the effort to loosen lot density requirements in a good section of the portion of the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern in Polk County became clearer during Tuesday’s public hearing before the County Commision.
County Commissioner Neil Combee said the impetus came from some complaints from some fellow Green Swamp property owners who discovered the current regulations would not allow them to create lots to pass on to relatives.
That is because the regulations require 10 acres outside of wetlands ln the less heavily regulated portion of the Green Swamp.
The rest requires 20 acre lots, but one acre of uplands is enough to get a building permit, he said.
That results in situations where someone ay have only, for instance, a 9.8-acre development lot.
His solution to the situation is to simply water down the regulations and use road right-of-way to make up the difference.
Of course. there is another alternative that the bulk of Polk’s property owners who do not have the ear of a county commissioner can pursue. That is to apply for a variance to remedy conditions that prevent an otherwise legal use of one’s property due to conditions beyond their control.
Combee spent some time criticizing the emergence of the tougher regulations over the years in contrast to earlier times when all you needed was one acre as long as you had frontage on a county road.
That was what was known in pre-growth management days as the Rural Conservation zoning category.
One thing to keep in mind in this discussion is that the Area of Critical State Concern classification came about because local zoning regulations were considered too lax to protect the Green Swamp.
You also have to keep in mind that up until a few years before the state imposed the designation that there were not any zoning regulations in unincorporated Polk County at all.
This is an imposition that some people likely still chafe at and the history of growth management in Polk has often been about how to scale back on the regulations..
There was some improvement in the staff presentation Tuesday in which they finally attempted to depict how much of Polk’s portion of the Green Swamp is already protected by conservation easements or outright purchases. Nevertheless the maps were a bit piecemeal and a single comprehensive map would be more helpful
Another aspect of this issue was highlighted by longtime Green Swamp advocate Marian Ryan, conservation chair of Sierra’s Ancient Islands Group.
It is that although protecting water resources was the original justification for protecting the Green Swamp. subsequent research has also revealed its importance as a key hub in a statewide network of wildlife corridors.
She said that fact argues more for increasing protections, not loosening them.
At the end of the discussion and the questions raised by Sierra and others, the proposal was continued to the July 16 meeting where better maps and a more sophisticated approach to the lot-size issue may be on the table.
County Commissioner Neil Combee said the impetus came from some complaints from some fellow Green Swamp property owners who discovered the current regulations would not allow them to create lots to pass on to relatives.
That is because the regulations require 10 acres outside of wetlands ln the less heavily regulated portion of the Green Swamp.
The rest requires 20 acre lots, but one acre of uplands is enough to get a building permit, he said.
That results in situations where someone ay have only, for instance, a 9.8-acre development lot.
His solution to the situation is to simply water down the regulations and use road right-of-way to make up the difference.
Of course. there is another alternative that the bulk of Polk’s property owners who do not have the ear of a county commissioner can pursue. That is to apply for a variance to remedy conditions that prevent an otherwise legal use of one’s property due to conditions beyond their control.
Combee spent some time criticizing the emergence of the tougher regulations over the years in contrast to earlier times when all you needed was one acre as long as you had frontage on a county road.
That was what was known in pre-growth management days as the Rural Conservation zoning category.
One thing to keep in mind in this discussion is that the Area of Critical State Concern classification came about because local zoning regulations were considered too lax to protect the Green Swamp.
You also have to keep in mind that up until a few years before the state imposed the designation that there were not any zoning regulations in unincorporated Polk County at all.
This is an imposition that some people likely still chafe at and the history of growth management in Polk has often been about how to scale back on the regulations..
There was some improvement in the staff presentation Tuesday in which they finally attempted to depict how much of Polk’s portion of the Green Swamp is already protected by conservation easements or outright purchases. Nevertheless the maps were a bit piecemeal and a single comprehensive map would be more helpful
Another aspect of this issue was highlighted by longtime Green Swamp advocate Marian Ryan, conservation chair of Sierra’s Ancient Islands Group.
It is that although protecting water resources was the original justification for protecting the Green Swamp. subsequent research has also revealed its importance as a key hub in a statewide network of wildlife corridors.
She said that fact argues more for increasing protections, not loosening them.
At the end of the discussion and the questions raised by Sierra and others, the proposal was continued to the July 16 meeting where better maps and a more sophisticated approach to the lot-size issue may be on the table.