Deer Run in Beulah: Wetlands Damage Remediation Plans moving Forward Quickly

County staff and developer DR Horton are working toward a resolution of multiple environmental issues at Phase I of the Preserve at Deer Run in Beulah.

Over the last several days there has been a flurry of activity on Phase 1 of the Preserve at Deer Run subdivision in Beulah.

Several Issues have plagued that development over the last several months, culminating in penalties being assessed by the North West Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD)

(The four holding ponds in phase one were not/are not draining properly--that issue is being worked via a re-design and that work to correct the issues with the ponds is moving forward so far as I have been told)

A consent order between NWFWMD and DR Horton, the builder, is slated to be signed by this Friday.

Meanwhile, county staff and the environmental engineer hired by DR Horton (Wetland Sciences) have been going back and forth via email.

A very detailed draft mitigation strategy document has been put forward by the DR Horton's environmental contractor, and county staff has read it and added additional stipulations that must be met before the county issues Certificates of Occupancy (CO) for five homes that are poised for closing before the month's end.

(County staff are standing firm that the CO's will not be issued until the remediation plan is accepted by all parties and the work to remediate the wetlands and wetland buffer zones begins)

Stipulations that the county is requiring, over and above what has been put forth in the document from DR Horton's environmental engineer, include the following:

• Monitoring for the restoration areas shall be for 5 years, including annual reports, and annual replanting (if needed) to assure 80% survival during each reporting period
• For areas proposed for restoration within the wetland buffer, weed free mulch that is a minimum of a 2” thick, 18” diameter shall be installed around each plant unit to enhance survivability and minimize competition*  
• With the proposed sizes of trees and shrubs offered, trees should be on 12’ centers and shrubs on 6’ centers*
• A alternating planting diagram will need to be submitted and approved to be able to verify counts and appropriate location
• All nursery stock shall be Florida Grade 2 or better and documented as such

* If larger plant stock is proposed, then plant unit spacing and mulch requirements may be reconsidered