§ 5.3. Land Use Inventory in the Vulnerable Coastal Areas and Coastal Areas

5.3.1 Existing Land Uses within the Hurricane Vulnerability Zones

The following Table 5-1 provides an analysis of the existing land uses located within the County's vulnerable coastal areas ( Map 5-3 ), which includes the storm surge areas for category 1, 2 and 3 hurricanes. As can be seen, the predominant land uses within these areas publicly owned lands (45%), vacant lands (21%) and military or agriculture (21%).

Table 5-1: Existing Land Use in the Hurricane Vulnerability Zones Santa Rosa County

Land Use Category	Acreage	Percentage
Agriculture	4,832	9.82%
Agriculture Homestead	118	0.23%
Conservation, Recreation and Open Space	400	0.84%
Military	5,710	11.61%
Institutional	99	0.21%
Publicly Owned Lands	22,177	45.17%
Vacant	10,547	21.43%
Residential	3,319	6.74%
Single Family (Low to Medium Density)	3,263
Condominium/Townhouse (Medium to High Density)	46
Multi-Family (Medium to High Density)	10
Mixed Residential/Commercial	19	0.04%
Office	3	0.02%
Commercial	31	0.09%
Commercial Recreation Uses	128	0.26%
Industrial	100	0.20%
Utilities	136	0.28%
Right-of-Way	1,483	3.11%
Water	97	0.19%
Miscellaneous (no property appraiser code, wasteland, etc.)	8	0.03%
Total	49,207	100%

 

Map 5-3 Hurricane Vulnerability and Existing Land Use
Santa Rosa County, Florida

The following Table 5-2 provides an analysis of the existing land uses located within the County's coastal areas ( Map 5-2 ), which includes lands from the water bodies to major east west transportation corridors. As can be seen, the predominant land uses within these areas vacant lands (22%), publicly owned lands (20%) and military or agriculture (30%). Low density residential also comprises about 15% of the area.

Table 5-2: Existing Land Use in the Coastal Areas Santa Rosa County

Land Use Category	Acreage	Percentage
Agriculture	16,652	14.58%
Agriculture Homestead	629	0.55%
Conservation, Recreation and Open Space	1,853	1.62%
Military	17,396	15.23%
Institutional	943	0.83%
Publicly Owned Lands	22,798	19.96%
Vacant	24,866	21.77%
Residential	17,710	15.51%
Single Family (Low to Medium Density)	17,371
Condominium/Townhouse (Medium to High Density)	59
Multi-Family (Medium to High Density)	280
Mixed Residential/Commercial	188	0.16%
Office	213	0.19%
Commercial	940	0.82%
Commercial Recreation Uses	1,007	0.88%
Industrial	1,047	0.93%
Utilities	547	0.48%
Right-of-Way	6,675	5.84%
Water	686	0.60%
Miscellaneous (no property appraiser code, wasteland, etc.)	49	0.05%
Total	114,199	100%

 

The Infrastructure Element in conjunction with the Capital Improvements Element contain the principles for providing that financial assurances are made that required public facilities will be in place to meet the demand imposed by the completed development or redevelopment. Such public facilities will be scheduled for completion or completion may be phased to coincide with demands generated by the development or redevelopment per the County's concurrency management system and capital improvements program.

5.3.2 Roadways and Bridges

The following roadways or portions of roadways are located within or adjacent to the CHHA in Santa Rosa County and are a part of the evacuation network: I-10, US 98, US 90, SR 87 and CR 191/281 (on Garcon Point). The following bridges are identified in or adjacent to the CHHA: CR 399 (Navarre Beach Causeway) over Santa Rosa Sound, SR 87 over East Bay, SR 87 over Dean Creek, SR 89 over Blackwater River, US 90 over Blackwater River, CR 191 (2 bridges south of Milton), and I-10 over Escambia Bay.

5.3.3 Potable Water Facilities

The Bagdad-Garcon Point, Pace Water Systems, East Milton, Holley-Navarre, Midway, Navarre Beach, Pace and City of Gulf Breeze/South Santa Rosa Utilities potable water facilities are located within or adjacent to the CHHA in Santa Rosa County.

5.3.4 Sanitary Sewer Facilities

The Pace Water, City of Milton, Holley-Navarre, Navarre Beach and City of Gulf Breeze/South Santa Rosa utilities sewer facilities are located within or adjacent to the CHHA in Santa Rosa County.

5.3.5 Shore Protection Structures

County-owned shore protection structures are limited to those associated with public boat ramps and County parks, and there are no known problems with these structures.

5.3.6 Stormwater Management Facilities

Information regarding the analysis of the effects of existing drainage systems and the impact of point source and nonpoint source pollution on estuarine water quality and the plans and principles, including existing state and regional regulatory programs, which shall be used to maintain or upgrade water quality while maintaining sufficient quantities of water flow is found within the Supporting Documentation for the Infrastructure Element.

5.3.7 Environmental Resources within the Coastal Area

Map 5-4 depicts the National Wetland Inventory mapped wetlands that are located within the coastal area. The NWI wetland maps are graphic representations of the type, size and location of the wetlands and deepwater habitats in the United States. These maps have been prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery in conjunction with collateral data sources and field work. The maps represent reconnaissance level information on the location, type, size of wetlands habitats such that they are accurate at the nominal scale of the 1:24,000 base map. There is an approximate 122,039 acres of potential wetlands within the Coastal area and 62,159 acres of potential uplands. Coastal wetlands play an important role in the following:

• Flood Protection: Coastal wetlands protect upland areas, including valuable residential and commercial property, from flooding due to sea level rise and storms.

• Erosion Control: Coastal wetlands can prevent coastline erosion due to their ability to absorb the energy created by ocean currents which would otherwise degrade a shoreline and associated development.

• Wildlife Food & Habitat: Coastal wetlands provide habitat for many federally threatened and endangered species, including Whooping Crane, Louisiana Black Bear, and Florida Panther. Two of North America's migratory bird flyways pass over the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, where coastal wetlands provide temporary habitat to waterfowl and shorebirds.

• Commercial Fisheries: Over 50 percent of commercial fish and shellfish species in the Southeastern United States rely on coastal wetlands.

• Water Quality: Wetlands filter chemicals and sediment out of water before it is discharged into the ocean.

• Recreation: Recreational opportunities in coastal wetlands include canoeing and kayaking, wildlife viewing and photography, and recreational fishing and hunting.

• Carbon Sequestration: Certain coastal wetland ecosystems (such as salt marshes and mangroves) can sequester and store large amounts of carbon due to their rapid growth rates and slow decomposition rates.

The Conservation Element of this Plan along with its Supporting documentation provide Santa Rosa County's wetland protection requirements and strategies.

Sources:

Costanza, R., O. Pérez-Maqueo, ML Martinez, P Sutton, SJ Anderson, K Mulder. 2008. The value of coastal wetlands for hurricane protection. Ambio 37(4): 241-248.

Carter, V. 1997. Technical Aspects of Wetlands: Wetland Hydrology, Water Quality, and Associated Functions. United States Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 2425.

FWS. Endangered Species .

Martin, DM, T Morton, T Dobrzynski, & B. Valentine. 1996. Estuaries on the Edge: The Vital Link Between Land and Sea. A Report by American Oceans Campaign.

5.3.8 Areas Subject to Flooding in the Coastal Area

Map 5-5 identifies the flood zones within the Coastal Area, specifically these are the high-risk zones are labeled with letters beginning with "A" or "V" on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Table 5-3 provides the acreage that is within a high risk flood zone that is also within a category 1, 2, or 3 hurricane storm surge zone. Also as can be seen in Table 5-4 below, are approximately 64,293 acres of lands located within high risk zones and also identified as on Map 5-1 as hurricane vulnerability zones (storm surge for categories 1, 2, and 3 hurricanes).

Table 5-3: Acreage within the Coastal Area and also within a High Risk Flood Zone (Map 10-5)

Flood Zone	Acreage	Percentage Inside
A	446.92	1.36%
AE	33,411.43	86.97%
Annual Chance of Flood Hazard 0.2%	2,676.84	6.55%
VE	1,881.54	5.12%
Total Inside Flood Zones	38,416.73	100%
Total Outside Flood Zones	75,782

 

Table 5-4: Acreage within the Hurricane Vulnerability Zones (Cat 1, 2 & 3) and also within a High Risk Flood Zone

Flood Zone	Acres	Percentage Inside
A	206	0.03%
AE	49,552	77.07%
Annual Chance of Flood Hazard 0.2%	1,885	2.93%
VE	12,650	19.97%
Total Inside Flood Zones	64,293	100%
Total Outside Flood Zones	19,619

 

Map 5-4 Environmental Resources within the Coastal Zone
Santa Rosa County, Florida

Map 5-5 Flood Zones within the Coastal Zone
Santa Rosa County, Florida