Environmental Impact Analysis

The EIA application must contain the necessary narrative and graphic information to evaluate the impact of the proposed development activity on all conservation and preservation areas that were identified in the natural features inventory. An EIA provides an overlay of the proposed development activity and an analysis of its impact on the conservation or preservation areas identified in the natural features inventory.

An EIA must be based on standard scientific, engineering or environmental practices and at a minimum must address the following:

• A project narrative describing the scope of work.
• An environmental impact analysis overlay is a plan sheet or series of plan sheets that show both the boundaries of the conservation and preservation areas and the proposed development activity.
• The site plan or plan sheets should include: a.) Boundary delineation of all conservation or preservation areas; b.) Labeled conservation easements; c.) Location of all protected trees; d.) A drainage basin map; and e.) Typical site plan information, including contours, existing and proposed improvements, existing and proposed utilities, including electrical services, etc.
• An EIA describes and quantifies the project's impact from the proposed development activities on the natural features identified in the natural features inventory. This narrative must also discuss and quantify how the project has complied with the development standards and guidelines found in the Tallahassee Land Development Code.
• A mitigation narrative describes the measures taken to prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of the proposed development on the conservation and preservation areas identified in the natural features inventory.
• Supporting information can include drainage calculations, soil borings, geotechnical information, retaining wall designs, photographs, other environmental narratives, wetland hydrocycle information, habitat management plans for listed species, vegetation management plans, canopy road tree protection zone impact analysis and mitigation plan, etc.
• Other environmental narratives, habitat conservation/management plans or vegetation management plans.
• A habitat conservation/management plan is required for development activity that affects listed species. Identify the location of any known threatened, endangered or species of special concern on all plan sheets.
• Vegetation management plans are required when an applicant desires to selectively remove or manage vegetation in any conservation area.
• A canopy road tree protection zone impact analysis and mitigation plan is required when impact is proposed within the canopy road tree protection zone. Review by the canopy roads citizen committee is required.
• The Growth Management Director may require additional technical information to demonstrate that the proposed development meets the development standards in the Tallahassee Land Development Code.

Review

The Tallahassee Land Development Code notes that the review time for EIAs is equal to the review time frame established for site plan or subdivision applications. If an EIA is not part of a site plan or subdivision application, the TLDC notes that the staff review must occur within 30 calendar days after submittal of a complete application. However, the Growth Management Department's fast tracking timeframe is 15 work days for a new EIA and 7 work days for a resubmitted EIA.

Approval

The applicant will be notified when the EIA is approved and the approved documents will be uploaded into ePlan Review in a .pdf file for the applicant to download.

Appeals

An environmental impact analysis is not a development order or development permit, as defined in §163.3164, Florida Statutes. Therefore, the relief provisions applicable to development orders or permits in §163.3215, Florida Statutes are not applicable to an environmental impact analysis. However, if an environmental impact analysis was approved as part of a site plan or subdivision application, the appeal provisions available for site plan or subdivision applications apply.

Information Sheets and Checklists

Document Submission Requirements and Naming Conventions