WGI was contracted midway through the initial conceptual site planning for the property. Once contracted, WGI assessed the property and its resources, including a wetland delineation, gopher tortoise burrow survey, bald eagle nest survey, and coordinated with the project team regarding existing trees. WGI determined that there were 29.62 acres of wetlands, including one large 27-acre wetland. The WGI Environmental team worked closely with the project engineer, site planner, and landscape architect to incorporate as many wetlands and existing trees into the plan as possible. Once a plan was developed, WGI shepherded the project through the wetlands permitting process and endangered species review. WGI successfully received a No Permit Required letter for the federal wetland permitting and prepared a technical memorandum to the US Fish and Wildlife Service providing suggested effect determinations for potential protected species, including the bald eagle. WGI worked closely with St. John’s River Water
Management District (SJRWMD) to address wetland impacts. The mitigation plan was designed to include on-site restoration and offsite mitigation. WGI identified private landowners with large-scale conserved lands to coordinate with to attribute additional protected lands as mitigation for impacts on the subject property. The project received all permits and will provide innovative, affordable housing to the City of Rockledge.

Project Highlights

• WGI worked with the project team to develop a successful and permittable site plan while protecting significant natural resources on the property.
• An alternative wetland mitigation plan was devised and approved after determining that typical mitigation outlets like mitigation banks were unavailable for this project.
• The multi-family development’s innovative steel modular container design will provide affordable housing to the region while maintaining natural resources (wetlands and trees) as an asset to the community.