Occupied Scrub-Jay Habitat in the City of North Port
The City of North Port underwent a scrub-jay habitat survey in 2006 in order to identify occupied habitat. These areas represent suitable habitat for the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), a threatened species that is only found in Florida. The scrub-jay lives primarily in scrub habitat, one of the rarest habitats in Florida -- and one which is under tremendous development pressures.
The Scrub-Jay Identified Areas Map presents the survey results in a general, non-specific way. The same information is depicted in a parcel-specific format in the
North Port Scrub-Jay spreadsheet, which lists each parcel, by PID number, that lies within the scrub-jay identified areas. To determine if your property is affected, locate the Parcel Identification number (PID) on your ownership/title document(s). The PID is given in this format: ###-##-####.
TIP: The spreadsheet lists a large number of parcels. To speed up your search and learn if your property is in a scrub-jay area, use the spreadsheet "
search" key combination, which is
Ctrl-f (hold down the control key and press the "f" key). When the dialog box opens, type in your PID number in the format given above and click the "
Find Next" button. If your parcel is listed, the cursor will advance to its PID number.
What to do if your property is in scrub-jay habitat
In all areas, only lands that are occupied by the scrub-jay may need a Federal incidental take permit to clear lands or build. The City of North Port and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have provided a detailed survey of scrub-jay areas in North Port to identify where scrub-jays occur.
After reviewing information provided on this web page, please refer to the
North Port Scrub-Jay Excel document. Property owners must contact US Fish and Wildlife Service upon submission of a building permit. If your parcel is identified on this list please follow the steps as provided in the Scrub-Jay Review Package (see link below) to initiate the review process. In areas which Scrub-Jays are not an issue, a Federal permit will not be needed at this time.
Scrub-Jay Review Process If a property owner finds his property on the list, he must seek consultation upon submission of a building permit and download the
Review Package to start the review process. In areas where no scrub-jays occur, a Federal permit would not be needed at this time. The Parcel ID list will be updated to reflect new scrub-jay sightings or a shift in current habitat. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will operate under the most current information available.
Review and approval of a Habitat Conservation Plan to obtain an Incidental Take Permit may take more than a year. You should plan your building process accordingly. Mitigation costs are based on the cost of purchasing additional lands for conservation. These costs can be met by on-site land conservation, purchase and dedication of lands for conservation, payment to an approved conservation fund, or purchase conservation credits from an approved conservation bank.
The City of North Port and the Service are working with Sarasota County to include North Port in the County-wide Habitat Conservation Plan for scrub-jays to facilitate the sustainable development of lands within scrub-jay zones. This will expedite the incidental take permit process and provide a comprehensive plan for conservation of the scrub-jay.