PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
QUANTUM PARK
MFI DEVELOPMENT, INC. 4.39-ACRE PARCEL
BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
MAY 1998
For
MFI Development, Inc.
Attn. Mr Douglas MacDonald
292 South County Road, Suite 141
Palm Beach, Florida 33480
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC.
1001 North US Highway One, SUite 304
JupIter, Flonda 33477
(561) 743-5141
EP98017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
~
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. METHODS 1
A. Current SIte CondItIOns and Use 1
B Soils 1
C Wetlands 1
D Vegetatlon 3
E. Wildhfe 3
III. RESULTS 3
A. Current Site CondItlons and Use 3
B Soils 3
C. Wetlands 5
D Vegetatlon 5
E. Wildhfe 7
IV CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7
REFERENCES 8
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1
Figure 2
FIgure 3
SIte LocatIOn Map
Soils Map
Vegetatlve Commumties
2
4
6
PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
QUANTUM PARK
MFI DEVELOPMENT, INC. 4.39-ACRE PARCEL
BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
MAY 1998
I. INTRODUCTION
An EnvIronmental ServIces, Inc., bIOlogIst conducted a Prehmmary EnvIronmental Assessment
of the Quantum Park 4.39-acre parcel on 21 May 1998 to map bIOtIC commumty types and
determme the presence of any species or habitats hsted as protected by federal, state, or local
agencies. The survey was authonzed by Mr Douglas MacDonald for MFI Development, Inc.
The property compnses 4.39:!: acres and is located east of High RIdge Road, south of Gateway
Boulevard, in Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County, Flonda, ange 43, Townslnp 45, Section 17
(FIgure 1). Results of thIS mvestlgatIOn and recommendations for permlttmg are presented in
tins report.
II. METHODS
A. Current Site Conditions and Use
Present-day development and other indications of land use on the property were identified
dunng field reconnaIssance and from 1995 aenal photographs (1 "=200' scale) obtained
from Palm Beach County Property AppraIsers Office.
B. Soils
SIte soil types were determined by review of Soil Survey of Palm Beach County Area,
Florida (USDA Soil ConservatIOn ServIce 1978) and by observation of soil
charactenstics on the property
C. Wetlands
The parcel was evaluated for the occurrence of any state (FDEP and SFWMD) and
federal (V.S Army Corps of Engmeers) Junsdlctional wetlands using aerial photograph
mterpretatIOn and soli survey review All of the property was verified as upland during
field reconnaIssance by the absence of hydnc solis, hydrophytlc vegetatIOn associations,
and mdlcators of wetland hydrologIC charactenstlcs.
1
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1
Quantum Park
l"lFI Developntent, Inc. 4.39-acre parcel
prelintina r)' l1.nviron nten tal Assessnten t
1 fIgure \ LocatlonllopograpnlC "!Aap
~E""IRONMf.NT AL SERVICES, ,",C. S \. \ 24 00\1
\00\ North US \-\lgnwaJ \. sUite 304 ca e ,; '\990
Da.te lna.'j 0
JupIter. f\onda 33477 ES\ project No Ep9%0\1
(56\) 743-514\
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D Vegetation
A bIOlogIst conducted comprehensIve pedestnan transects across the site to map bIotic
communIty boundanes and to detect any presence of protected vegetatIOn (lIsted speCIes,
commurntIes, or speCImen trees), as defined m the Development Order, Ordmance No
84-51, Ordmance of the CIty of Boynton Beach, SectIOn 6 BIOtiC commurnty boundaries
were defined utIlIzmg Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System
(FLUCFCS) (Flonda Department of Transportation 1985) based on types and extent or
lack of plant speCIes. All observations, mcludmg approxImate locatIOn of protected
speCIes found on sIte were recorded in the field on a 1995 (1 "=200' scale) aenal
photograph of the property The locations of any plant speCIes listed on Florida
Endangered Species, Threatened Species, and Species of Special Concern Official Lists
(Wood 1996) were mapped.
E. Wildlife
Any eVIdence of wildlife utilIzation of the property was recorded dunng field
reconnaissance of the property The locations of any wildlIfe speCIes listed on the
Florida Endangered Species, Threatened Species, and Species of Special Concern
Official Lists (Wood 1996) were mapped.
III. RESULTS
A. Current Site Conditions and Use
The parcellS currently undeveloped, partially wooded land, bordered by roadways, a bike
path, vacant land and commercIal development. The entire site has been filled and
repeatedly dIsturbed by off-road velncles. SIte topography IS relatively flat to gently
sloped (Figure 1) The site supports a mIxture of landscape and exotIc/nwsance plant
cover
B. Soils
Two soIl types were lnstoncally mapped on the Quantum Park property (Figure 2)
Basmger fine sand (Ba) and
Basmger and Myakka sands, depressIOnal.
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usn A. Soil conse",atio' Sef'/,ce Sod SUl""'Y
source: l">
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pre\\tninan' v,n"irontnenta\ ,\Ssesstnent
fi~ure 2. Salls N\al1
1\>l\flRO>lMl'J<f p..\. S ER \flCES, WC. Scale t t 5,OOO:\:
tOO t 1-l0$ US Wgh",ay t, Su"e 304 Dale May t 998
lUI'\le', Honda 33411 ES tl'tolecl1-l0 E1'91\O t 1
(56\) '143-5\4\
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The current soIl IS fill materIal, very sImIlar to the soIl classIfied as Arents-Urban land
complex (Au) m the SoIl Survey of Palm Beach County, FlorIda. TIns complex consists
of nearly level, somewhat poorly dramed, sandy soIls and urban land. The soils formed
m thIck layers of sandy fill materIal that were placed over low, wet mineral soils to make
the areas sUItable for urban use. ThIS complex IS found throughout the project SIte and
many areas in the eastern portion of the soil survey area. It IS common to many areas
such as golf courses, subdIvIsions, condommIUm developments, roadways, busmess or
industrIal areas, reclaimed borrow pItS, and other areas filled over but not yet developed.
There IS no natIve vegetatIon assocIated WIth tills soil.
c. Wetlands
None of the property would be consIdered JunsdIctional wetland by federal, state, or local
envIronmental regulatory agenCIes. No hydnc sOlIs occurred on the property
(SectIOn III-B). No hydrIC soils, hydrophytIc vegetatIOn associatIons, or evidence of
wetland hydrologic condItIOns were observed m the field.
D Vegetation
SIte vegetatIon consIsts of a rmxture of exotIc nUIsance trees, landscape plants, and
herbaceous, weedy vegetation. The majority of the property IS covered by plants typIcally
associated WIth disturbed SItes. Several exotic trees have colomzed the southeastern
portion of the property and are sparsely scattered throughout the open field. The
northeastern portIon of the property is currently landscaped as an entrance to Quantum
Park. VegetatIon commumtIes, defined accordmg to FLUCFCS, are depicted in Figure 3
One general vegetatIOn community was identIfied on site'
· Urban Land m transItIon WIthout posItIve indIcators of intended actiVIty
(FLUCFCS 193) The majority of the property IS m this category There are no
structures or any mdIcatIon of intended use. VegetatIon includes scattered exotics
such as AustralIan pme (Casuarina equisetifolia) and earleaf acacia (Acacia
auriculae/ormis) VarIOUS weedy herbaceous plants and grasses. A large area of
landscaped vegetatIon exists at the northwestern comer of the property This
vegetation conSIsts of a canopy of ficus (Ficus benjamina) trees and various
exotIc palms. The understory IS splIt-leaf pilllodendron with smaller palms and
sod.
. Protected Species. One plant speCIes found on SIte, prIcldy pear cactus (Opuntia
stricta), IS lIsted as protected by the State of FlOrIda Department of Agriculture
and Consumer ServIces and FGFWFC PrIckly pear cactus occur in several
Isolated locatIOns along the western border of the SIte, m the disturbed land
communIty
5
Scale. 1"=200'
~ ENVIRONMENTAL
~ SERVICES, INC.
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. 193
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Legend:
.A - Gopher Tortoise Burrow
. - Prickley Pear Cactus
193 - Urban Land
(Florida Land Use and Forms
Classification System)
Preliminary Environmental Assessment ~ ~
Vegetative and Listed Species Map ..
Quantum Park Project No EP98017
MFI Development, Inc. Date May 1998
4 39 Acre Parcel Figure No 3
--~- --- -~--------- ----~----
E. Wildlife
1 Sik UtihzatIOn. Wildhfe observed on SIte consIsted of several
urudentIfied small passenne bIrds and a gopher tortOIse (Gopherus polyphemus)
observed at the mouth of ItS burrow The gopher tortOIse is a state-lIsted Species
of SpecIal Concern and is dIscussed in detaIl below
2. Protected SpeCIes. Gopher tortOIse was the only lIsted wildlife speCIes
IdentIfied on SIte. No scrub Jays or other speCIes lIsted as protected by any state
or federal agency were observed. One actIve (accordmg to Florida Game and
Fresh Water Fish CommIssion [FGFWFC] burrow status defInItion) gopher
tortoise burrow was observed on the property The burrow was located in the
southern portIon of the property (Figure 3) Gopher tortOIse IS lIsted as a Species
of Special Concern on the Florida Endangered Species, Threatened Species, and
Species of Special Concern Official Lists (Wood 1996).
IV CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The dIsturbed nature of this property IS mdIcated by the occurrence of exotIc and nuisance
vegetation across the SIte.
Although local government ordmance reqUIres preservatIon of 25 percent of areas of native
upland vegetation, tlus is not applIcable to the SIte because no natIve vegetatIon exists on SIte.
AddItIonally, dunng constructIon, all melaleuca, BrazilIan pepper and AustralIan pine which
occur on-site shall be removed.
The Gopher tortOIse burrow may be left undIsturbed, but would reqUIre a 30- to SO-foot radius
buffer surroundmg It, wluch would substantIally inhibit development of the southeastern part of
the SIte. A relocatIon or inCIdental takmg peront may be obtamed from FGFWFC if the burrow
area is to be developed. A relocatIon permit will allow relocation of the tortOIses to an approved
off-SIte preserve. The cost for relocatmg a single tortoise IS $2,000 to $4,000 which includes
penmt acqUIsition, relocatIOn fees and consultmg servIces.
Finally, we recommend that a Phase I EnVIronmental SIte Assessment (ESA) for hazardous and
toxic materials be conducted for the property A phase I ESA would further mvestigate historical
earthmoving and fillmg actIvity on SIte. TypIcal cost of a Phase I ESA would be $1,800 to
$2,000
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REFERENCES
U S Department of Agnculture, Soil ConservatlOn Service, 1978 Soil Survey of Palm Beach
County Area, Florida. 95 p. + maps.
Flonda Department of TransportatlOn, 1985 Flonda Land Use, Cover & Forms ClassIfication
System. Tallahassee, Florida. 40 p
Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish ComrmsslOn, 1996 Flonda's Endangered SpecIes,
Threatened Species and Species of Special Concern, OffiCIal LIStS. Tallahassee, Florida. 22p.
8