§ 157.01. Purpose and Intent.

(A)

The purpose of this Chapter is to implement the policies of the Future Land Use and Conservation Elements in the City of Port St. Lucie Comprehensive Plan by establishing regulations regarding the protection of natural resources and native vegetation and the protection of historic and prehistoric resources in order to maintain the quality of life in Port St. Lucie and to protect the health, safety, welfare, and general well being of the citizens of Port St. Lucie.

(B)

The implementation of this chapter is intended to accomplish the following objectives:

1.

Preserve and protect native upland habitat within Port St. Lucie to maintain a diversity of plant and animal life supported by the plant communities native to this area, and in particular species that are listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act, and the Florida Natural Areas Inventory because of their status as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.

2.

Protect and sustain natural wetland systems, to minimize activities that degrade, destroy or otherwise negatively impact wetland values and functions, and where appropriate, to reestablish and restore productive wetland systems.

3.

Protect and preserve estuarine beaches by prohibiting alteration and requiring restoration of degraded beaches during development and redevelopment of property.

4.

Prevent the degradation or loss of native shoreline habitat and encourage improvement of habitat degraded by shoreline protection structures or other means by prioritizing methods of allowable shoreline stabilization.

5.

Promote soil conservation by guiding, regulating, and controlling the design, construction, use and maintenance of any development or other activity which disturbs or otherwise results in the movement of earth on land situated in the city and thereby reduce sedimentation and air and surface water pollution resulting from soil erosion.

6.

Protect surface water flow by controlling filling activities and changes in drainage patterns.

7.

Ensure that the activities associated with excavating and the resulting excavation itself do not degrade the natural resources of the city and adversely impact the quantity or quality of surface water or groundwater.

8.

Encourage water conservation through the preservation of existing plant communities, reestablishment of native plant communities, site development that retains stormwater runoff on site, and recognition of environmentally sensitive site development concepts.

9.

Preserve and protect properties of historical, cultural, archaeological, aesthetic and architectural merit which represent distinctive elements of the city's cultural, social, economic, political, scientific, religious, and architectural history.

(Ord. No. 15-68, § 1, 9-14-15)