§ 27-336. General licenses.

(a)

Projects Meeting Criteria for General License: Projects described below shall qualify for a general license upon application to EPGMD, and subject to the requirements of this section:

Requirements To Obtain a General License:

(1)

A general license will be issued within ten (10) days of receipt of the application. This application shall include information that demonstrates that the project will not substantially impede water flow, will not impact natural resources or submerged aquatic vegetation, or will not violate applicable local and state water quality standards, or criteria contained in this article, sections 27-331 to 27-341, and that clean fill will be used in any filling activities.

a.

The repair or replacement of existing docks, provided that no additional waterward fill is used and the new or repaired dock is not enlarged beyond a total of five hundred (500) square feet over-water surface area for the new and existing structure.

b.

The repair, maintenance, or restoration of existing seawalls no more than one (1) foot waterward of their original authorized location.

c.

The relocation within an already approved right-of-way, repair or maintenance of existing utility transmission or distribution lines and associated adjacent facilities required to effect the repair.

d.

New lake or pond excavations of less than two (2) acres, but equal to or greater than one (1) acre that are not connected with and do not exchange water with any other surface water body or wetland, except by means of a permitted overflow structure.

e.

The installation of private, noncommercial docks of five hundred (500) square feet or less of over-water surface area, where no dredging or filling is required except to install the pilings.

f.

Projects which are within isolated wetlands or lakes and/or otherwise, in the opinion of EPGMD, will not significantly degrade the environment.

g.

Proposed or existing rock quarry excavations that are not in wetlands, are self-contained and not connected to and do not exchange water with any other surface water body or wetland, except when specifically directed to discharge water for the purpose of flood protection by the water management district having specific jurisdiction. This does not authorize expansion or excavation of a rock quarry into wetland areas.

h.

The construction, repair, maintenance or operation of any permitted stormwater control/treatment structure when not exempt by wetland delineations.

i.

The one-time dredging of twenty (20) cubic yards or less of sediment from isolated lakes, or ponds, and residential canals with no seagrasses within the project site, where the sediment is removed from the waterway and deposited on a self-contained upland site.

j.

The installation of natural limerock rip-rap at the waterward face of an existing vertical bulkhead provided that the rip-rap is clean and free of debris, that no seagrasses are covered by the rip-rap, that no dredging or other filling is conducted and that the rip-rap is placed at a slope no steeper than 2H:1V and that no interference to other riparian property rights, or navigation occurs.

k.

The repair or replacement of existing functional headwalls, pipes, or culverts provided that they are otherwise in compliance with this chapter and are in artificially created waterways which discharge water for stormwater runoff. The pipes must be replaced in the original size and configuration and all elevations must be the same as the prereplacement condition. Pipe or culvert material may change from the original but must not change the discharge capabilities of the original design. All water quality protection features must be utilized; and the rerouting of water bodies is not authorized by this general license except by pumps, pipes or cofferdams. Wetland areas may not be impacted as a result of this activity.

l.

The installation of utility or transmission lines laid on or embedded in the substrate provided that no dredging or filling is required and that no seagrasses or significant benthic communities will be affected by the activity.

m.

Existing commercial rock quarry excavations that have been in continuous operation from 1985 and are permitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) [now Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)] and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (COE) as appropriate, will be issued a EPGMD license following application if the application is made within sixty (60) days of the final adoption of this article [November 23, 1993]. The license will be for the length of time identified in the DEP or COE permit that expires first and will be subject to the conditions contained in the most restrictive permit. Upon expiration of this EPGMD license, any additional regulated work that is proposed shall be subject to the appropriate sections of this article.

(2)

A general license for the emergency repair, replacement or maintenance of existing utility transmission or distribution lines is hereby issued provided that the owner of the damaged facility or the owner's agent provides verbal notice to the county of the condition, its location and expected length of time required for repair, replacement or maintenance activities.

(3)

A general license is granted to the Florida Department of Transportation, following appropriate EPGMD notification procedures, for the following minor works within FDOT rights-of-way and provided that all other water quality standards are not violated:

a.

Repair of existing concrete bridge pilings by the construction of pile jackets provided that the permanent outer form is composed of inert materials, and the quantity of material shall not exceed three hundred (300) cubic yards of dredging or three hundred (300) cubic yards of filling per project. Although the bottom sediments within the forms may be removed by jetting or pumping, and may not be recoverable, proper turbidity control measures shall be employed as necessary to prevent violations of state or county water quality standards.

b.

The maintenance, repair, or replacement of existing drainage facilities provided that no wetlands will be affected and that the original specifications of the facilities will not be modified.

c.

The installation of fences within regulated waters or wetlands provided no dredging or filling occurs other than that necessary for the posts and that water flow is not impeded.

(Ord. No. 90-49, § 1(27-11.06), 12-18-90; Ord. No. 93-49, § 3, 11-23-93; Ord. No. 1999-55, § 1, 10-12-99; Ord. No. 2004-39, § 5, 11-09-04; Ord. No. 2005-11, § 9, 5-24-05; Ord. No. 2009-56, § 1, 8-25-09)