Counties are open to residential development. Without proper site selection 

 and planning, flooding may be a threat and local water sources would be 

 adversely affected. It is evident that ill-advised land use is not as likely 

 under the current planning and regulatory standards as it has been in the past 

 (Milliman et al. 1981). Large subdivisions often were created for volume sale 

 without considering the environmental sensitivities of the area or the infra- 

 structure support systems required for new population centers. A conservative 

 assumption of 2.2 persons per potential dwelling unit in the platted areas of 

 Southwest Florida would increase the population by 1.4 million people, whereas 

 the actual forecast for 2020 is only 436,000 persons. In either event, the 

 destruction of natural systems and further draining of wetlands for agricul- 

 tural and phosphate mining purposes is certain. 



LAND CLASSIFICATION ANALYSIS 



In Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee Counties, 107,302 acres of 

 Class II waters and 29,439 acres of marine grassbeds have been identified 

 (Florida State Department of Environmental Regulation 1978). The area of 

 brackish coastal marshes has been estimated at 7,238 acres and coastal man- 

 groves at about 10,751 acres. The area of freshwater swamps and marshes was 

 estimated at 24,500 acres. The report further identifies as areas of conflict 

 over 189,500 acres that are presently developed, but only 3,334 acres of land 

 are suitable for intensive development without corrective measures or protec- 

 tion from flooding. The total area that is developed covers more than 419,916 

 acres. 



The Southwest Florida coastal area, which includes Sarasota, DeSoto, 

 Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties has 198,137 acres of Class II waters, 

 57,190 acres of marine grassbeds, 69,000 acres of coastal marshes, 133,727 

 acres of coastal mangroves, and 16,869 acres of freshwater swamp and marshes. 

 Over 213,811 acres are now developed but subject to conflict. Only 2,892 

 acres suitable for development without corrections or flood control remain 

 undeveloped. Over 199,231 acres were designated as prime agricultural lands 

 with other potential suitabilities. Total development in this four county 

 area was estimated to be 493,990 acres. 



The Florida State Department of Environmental Regulation study (1978) 

 indicated that Monroe County has 152,268 acres of Class II waters, 426,848 

 acres of marine grassbeds, 159,539 acres of coastal marshes, 221,964 acres of 

 coastal mangroves and about 65,000 acres of freshwater marshes. All of the 

 developed land (22,675 acres) was subject to conflict. No undeveloped land 

 suitable for development remains. 



Extensive areas of suburban development have been platted in Southwest 

 Florida. The greatest conflict is in the Charlotte Harbor area. Extensive 

 areas of Class II waters, marine grassbeds, coastal marshes, and mangrove 

 swamps still exist, but they are a fraction of what existed only a few years 

 ago. If trends are not reversed in the future, continued growth and expansion 

 into sensitive coastal wetlands will further deplete these valuable resources, 

 and may lead to large scale destruction of other dependent environmental 

 resources such as fisheries and beach recreation. 



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