Hacienda Lakes

The Hacienda Lakes Development of Regional Impact (DRI) project is a 2,200± acre site located adjacent to the Picayune Strand State Forest and within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service primary zone for the Florida panther. Field work conducted included vegetation mapping, wetland delineation, and listed species surveys including species specific surveys for the red-cockaded woodpecker, Big Cypress fox squirrel, and Florida bonneted bat.

Services performed included preparation of the environmental portion of a South Florida Water Management District Environmental Resource Permit application and responses/negotiations with South Florida Water Management District staff; preparation of the application for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 permit and responses/negotiations with Corps staff; preparation of a Biological Assessment, and Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement and responses/negotiations with county staff for zoning approval; and preparation of the environmental documents and maps for the DRI Application for Development Approval to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council. The South Florida Water Management District issued Hacienda Lakes an Environmental Resource Permit. An Approved Wetland Jurisdictional Determination was obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the site. Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has resulted in a draft biological opinion stating that the project will not result in jeopardy of listed species. Hacienda Lakes DRI received zoning approval by Collier County and approval by the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council.

The construction of Hacienda Lakes will result in unavoidable impacts to on-site wetlands and listed species habitat. Our staff worked integrally with the project team and coordinated with various local, state, federal, and non-governmental agencies to design a site plan with the least environmental impacts. The mitigation plan includes 1,600± acres of on- and off-site preserves to offset impacts to listed species habitat and 440± acres of wetlands. Mitigation activities include upland and wetland enhancement and restoration through the hand removal of exotics and planting with native vegetation. Following successful completion of the mitigation plan, the conservation areas will be donated to the state with long-term management funds, and managed as part of the Picayune Strand State Forest.