The village recognizes its interdependency upon the natural and manmade environment of Biscayne Bay. In support of efforts to nurture, protect, and promote the balanced maintenance and enhancement of the living environment, the village requires development to adhere to applicable development and building codes, including, to the extent applicable, the environmental protection regulations of Miami-Dade County for the protection of the Biscayne Bay aquatic preserve.

As Indian Creek Island is essentially completely developed with respect to planned capacity and existing and planned improvements of substantial environmental impact, it is the intent and finding of the village that such conditions as are included in the comprehensive plan shall constitute an environmentally balanced design for protection of environmentally sensitive lands such as they exist and are planned to exist in the village. All improvements undertaken and completed in substantial conformity with the comprehensive plan and this unified land development code shall be considered protective of environmentally sensitive lands.

In the event the village considers the specific nature of a proposed improvement to be of unknown or suspected deleterious impact on the environment of the island and adjacent bay waters, then the village may require through its manager, that an environmental impact study be conducted by and at the sole cost to the applicant. Such study shall establish scientific data and expert analysis and opinion as to the precedent condition, and anticipated effect of the proposed development. The study shall also identify specific mitigation actions which may be taken to eliminate, offset, counter, or otherwise negate or balance the negative effects of the proposed development.