Wenger 72944 Dokumentacja Pobierz pdf (Strona 137)

Section 3 Future Without Project Conditions

EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006

3-13

population growth. The 2000 U.S. Census reported 20 persons living along the

eastern border of Compartment A. The purchase agreement between the United

States Department of Interior (DOI), SFWMD and the landowners allowed

farming to continue on most of the land until March 31, 2005. After March 2005,

land could be leased for agricultural purposes until needed by USACE for

restoration purposes.

Under the “without project” condition, likely land uses in Compartment A would

not have a significant effect on future population growth in other areas resulting

from agricultural uses of the area or conversion to open space uses. Palm Beach

County’s “Agriculture Production” land use designation on Compartment A

restricts residential development to farm labor quarters and camps, caretaker’s

quarters (e.g., for pump houses), and dwelling quarters and farm residences for

bona fide farm operations. Consequently, future residential development

potential on the property is limited by the land use designation, whether the

property remains in agricultural uses or is converted to open space. Even in the

unlikely event that the land use designation was changed to allow higher

density residential development, lack of central water and sewer infrastructure

effectively preclude most residential development.

3.1.14 Land Use

Palm Beach County’s Managed Growth Tier System (MGTS), adopted in 1999,

designates all land in the EAA as Glades Rural Tier, Urban Glades Tier, or

Conservation. Glades Rural Tier was established to protect valuable agriculture

areas and has only limited residential development potential. The Urban Glades

Tier encompasses 26,532 acres and is comprised of the Cities of Belle Glade,

Pahokee, South Bay, and an Urban Services Area surrounding the three areas.

Within the Palm Beach County portion of the EAA, new growth will be

channeled to the Urban Glades Tier, which contains a significant percentage of

the county’s remaining undeveloped land with urban residential development

potential. Within the Glades Rural Tier, maximum residential densities of one

dwelling unit per 10 acres may be allowed. Similarly, in Hendry County, growth

will be directed to near Lake Okeechobee with areas to the south designated for

agricultural land uses.

Land use changes should influence future water quality conditions. It has been

estimated that due to oxidation and subsidence of organic soils (Histosols) and

based on standard farming practices, about 62,000 acres of the 570,000 acres of

arable land would be unusable for any current agricultural use by 2050

(Snyder, 2004). An additional 241,000 acres would only be useable for highly

water tolerant crops within that same period. Smaller acreages could be lost to

farming if soils conserving farming practices are implemented in the near future.

1 2 ... 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 ... 385 386

Brak uwag

Wenger 72944 Dokumentacja Strona 137