Subject:
Title
Resolution designating Pinellas County as a Bee City USA Affiliate.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Adopt a resolution designating Pinellas County as a Bee City USA Affiliate, as recognized by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
• Adoption of the resolution recognizes Pinellas County’s commitment to conserve native pollinators through increased educational programs, pollinator habitat creation and enhancement and reduced use of pesticides.
• Parks and Conservation Resources Department and Florida County Extension will take the lead role in meeting the commitments of the Bee City USA designation under the oversight of the Parks and Conservation Resources Advisory Board, which is the designated citizen advisory group to ensure implementation and monitoring of the program.
• Bee City USA Affiliate designation is renewed every February after submission of annual report on pollinator activities.
• Initial application fee is $500.00 and subsequent renewal fees are $500.00 per year.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Practice Superior Environmental Stewardship
3.2 Preserve and manage environmental lands, beaches, parks and historical assets
3.3 Protect and improve the quality of our air, water and natural resources
3.5 Foster a sustainable and resilient community that is prepared for sea level rise and a changing climate
Summary:
Summary
Adopting the resolution will recognize Pinellas County’s commitment to preserving and promoting native pollinators such as bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects and promote further education to the public explaining the benefits of pollinators and pollinator friendly landscapes.
Body
Background Information:
Bee City USA provides a framework for local governments working in concert with their communities to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nesting sites, and reducing the use of pesticides. Specific commitments include establishing a Bee City USA committee to advocate for pollinators, creating and enhancing pollinator habitat on public and private land by increasing the abundance of native plants and pollinator nesting sites, reducing the use of pesticides, hosting pollinator awareness events, and publicly acknowledging Bee City USA affiliation with signs and an online presence.
Fiscal Impact:
The anticipated fiscal impact of this resolution is an initial application fee of $500.00 and a recurring annual renewal fee of $500.00, resulting in a total fiscal impact of $1,000.00 for FY23. This information is not included in the resolution (Attachment 1). Only the renewal fee is referenced in the Bee City USA Application Fee Generic Invoice (Attachment 2.). Due to the timing of this resolution, it is not consistent with the FY23 Budget, resulting in a variance of $1,000.00, or 100.0%. However, due to historical cost savings, any additional expenditure costs will be absorbed by the department. No negative budgetary impacts anticipated.
Staff Member Responsible:
Paul Cozzie, Director, Parks and Conservation Resources
Partners:
Parks and Conservation Resources Advisory Board
Attachments:
Bee City USA Resolution 371724
Bee City USA Application Fee Generic Invoice