Habitat Conservation Plan Community Meeting on May 28

Monroe County will host a community meeting on Thursday, May 28, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Church on Big Pine Key to discuss the expiration of the Big Pine Key Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and the Incidental Take Permit (ITP), as well as the county’s ongoing coordination with federal agencies regarding environmental protections and future permitting processes.

The HCP and ITP were originally established in the early 2000s to address impacts to endangered species habitat associated with private and public development on Big Pine Key and No Name Key. The HCP expired in 2023, and the ITP is set to expire on June 30, 2026.  For clarity, the HCP did not establish initial growth limits on Big Pine Key and No Name Key. Monroe County establishes maximum Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO) allocations through the Comprehensive Plan.

The community meeting will provide residents with an opportunity to hear updates from county staff, ask questions, and discuss local concerns related to endangered species protections, development regulations, habitat conservation efforts, and the path forward following the expiration of the HCP/ITP framework.

County staff continues working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on transitioning from the HCP/ITP process to existing countywide environmental reviews, including the Permit Referral Process (PRP) implemented under the Biological Opinion developed for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program. The PRP addresses several endangered and threatened species throughout the Florida Keys, including the Key deer, Lower Keys marsh rabbit, American crocodile, Eastern indigo snake, Schaus swallowtail butterfly, and other protected species. The FWS has agreed to transition Big Pine Key and No Name Key permits to the PRP and will provide updates to the assessment guides used for the three species formerly covered by the HCP/ITP. Maximum limits on species impacts established in the HCP/ITP will still apply.

The county remains committed to protecting endangered species and sensitive habitats throughout the Florida Keys. Most habitat protection measures currently in the HCP/ITP are already reflected in the Monroe County Code. The county also remains committed to purchasing environmentally sensitive lands for conservation purposes throughout the Florida Keys.