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Exotic animal park fined for work without permit

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By BAIRD HELGESON

bhelgeson@tampatrib.com

Published: April 29, 2009

TAMPA - Water managers issued a fine of nearly $9,000 for unauthorized construction to the Polk County exotic-animal park owned by former Lowry Park Zoo President Lex Salisbury.

The governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District on Tuesday approved the $8,863 penalty for Safari Wild.
Water managers determined that development on the property degraded water quality.

Salisbury and his partner, St. Petersburg veterinarian Stephen Wehrmann, want to build an exotic-animals park on their 260 acres north of downtown Lakeland.

In December, water managers proposed a $46,036 fine when they found proper permits had not been obtained for buildings, a parking area, extensive fencing and several animal enclosures.

The owners argued the work was agricultural in nature, which exempted them from permit requirements.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service issued an advisory opinion in February agreeing the work largely was agricultural. The district lowered the fine based on that opinion.

Swiftmud said the owners still need to get an environmental resource permit.

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