Environmental Division

MISSION STATEMENT
To implement the environmental protection provisions of the Martin County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan and the Code of Laws and Ordinances of Martin County; develop and implement environmental standards and regulations; and enforce County environmental standards. To provide efficient and courteous service to the public. To catalog the environmental features of Martin County. To develop a system of environmental analysis and review that is comprehensive, repeatable and useful for compliance review. To incorporate natural resource protection within all future County planning efforts.

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
The Environmental Division is staffed by a group of experienced professional biologists, scientists and planners, all dedicated to maintaining and improving the environmental and natural resources of Martin County. The following link will connect you with a list of staff personnel, their contact information and hours of operation of the Division.

In keeping with its Mission Statement, the Environmental Division assists in the preparation of Land Development Regulations and revisions to the County's Comprehensive Growth Management Plan. The Division conducts reviews of proposed development activities and inspections of existing projects to asssure they are consistent with the County's environmental protection regulations and the County's environmental and natural resources and quality of life are protected. To accomplish its mission, the Division's activities are directed toward the following general program areas:

• Wetland and Upland Community Protection

  Martin County has enacted wetland and upland protection measures to preserve wetlands and native upland habitats and maintain their ecological functions. The Environmental Division of the Growth Management Department is responsible for the implementation of these protective measures.

  All wetlands in Martin County are protected. A 50 ft buffer zone (75 ft if the wetland is connected to waters of the State) is required around wetlands to provide an upland transition area which can protect the wetland from negative impacts. Where possible, these buffers contain native upland habitat. If no native vegetation is present in the buffer zone, then planting of appropriate vegetation is required in accordance with a site-specific Preserve Area Management Plan (PAMP).

  Upland protection measures have been implemented in Martin County to prevent the loss of native upland habitats to development or to the spread of exotic invasive plant species. All parcels of land that have been platted since February 1992, and all Planned Unit Developments, large commercial projects and subdivisions are now required to preserve up to twenty-five percent of the total common native upland habitat or twenty-five percent of all unique, endangered, threatened or rare native upland habitats. In addition, each of these types of developments is required to provide a PAMP detailing an environmental management plan for its preserve areas.

• Plan and Permit Review

  The Environmental Division is responsible for reviewing a variety of documents and plans. Plans reviewed include site plans for commercial sites, Planned Unit Developments, subdivisions, docks and seawalls, and landscaping projects. Other documents reviewed include Preserve Area Management Plans, permit applications for residential building, excavation and fill, and waivers to wetland buffers.

  The Division reviews site plans to insure that required buffers between different land uses are correct, landscaping and native vegetation set asides are adequate, and vegetation density is adequate. The review also addresses placement and buffering of upland preserves and wetlands, and compliance with all County Codes relating to environmental and natural resource protection.

• Natural Resource and Environmental Feature Inventory

  The Environmental Division is responsible for gathering data on natural resources and environmental features of Martin County, processing this data, and making it available to the public, other County departments, and outside agencies. These data are used also in the County's Development Review process to evaluate cumulative and regional impacts of development on natural resources. This is accomplished through the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technology to display and interpret data such as the presence of sensitive environmental resources.

  Examples of the types of data that have been gathered and made available to the public can be found on this Web Site under the heading Environmental and Natural Resource Maps

Environmental Compliance
The Environmental Division investigates suspected violations of County environmental regulations to determine if violations have occurred. The Staff works closely with property owners to define any necessary professional consulting requirements and with consultants to implement a workable solution that is consistent with the County Code. This investigation/analysis process may require numerous on-site inspections, plan reviews and conferences before a specific complaint can be resolved.

To report suspected violations of County environmental regulations, the public can call the Environmental Division at (772) 288-5495.

Protecting environmental and natural resources and maintaining the County's quality of life are necessary for building a sustainable community. Therefore, the Environmental Division is committed to streamlining and improving its development and compliance review processes and to building an information data base suitable for managing the County's environmental and natural resources.

Environmental Complaints
You may report violations of the County's environmental regulations by calling the Environmental Division at (772) 288-5501. You may also fax your complaint to the Environmental Division by faxing your complaint to (772) 288-5764. In addition, you may contact specific staff members directly by phone or e-mail.