Agenda Item Name:
Title
Addition of Land Conservation Projects to the Alachua County Forever Active Acquisition List.
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Presenter:
Charlie Houder / (352) 264-6804
Description:
Staff requests the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approve the addition of the following land conservation projects to the Alachua County Forever Active Acquisition List (Full Price List).
1) Lake Santa Fe - Brooks
2) Lochloosa Slough - Jackson Heirs
3) Watermelon Pond - Allaben & Anderson
Addition of these projects to the Active Acquisition List, authorizes staff to: obtain title work and appraisals, negotiate price and terms with the owners, and execute option contracts.
Any purchase agreement of action to exercise an option, will be brought back to the Board for consideration.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve the addition of the following properties on the Active Acquisition List as a Fee Simple Acquisition. (Full Price List):
1) Lake Santa Fe - Brooks
2) Lochloosa Slough - Jackson Heirs
3) Watermelon Pond - Allaben and Anderson
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Prior Board Motions:
N/A
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Cost Estimates:
Lake Santa Fe - Brooks:
• $6,000 :Acquisition Pre-Contract & Due Diligence
• $375 :Stewardship -initial 10yrs.
Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Jackson Heirs
• $62,200 :Acquisition Pre-Contract & Due Diligence
• $29,590 :Stewardship -initial 10yrs.
Watermelon Pond - Allaben & Anderson
• $56,300 :Acquisition Pre-Contract & Due Diligence
• $72,930 :Stewardship -initial 10yrs.
$ 227,395 :Total Cost Estimates for Pre-Contract / Due Diligence Acquisition & Stewardship
Sufficient budget exists in the Wild Spaces Public Places Land Allocation for these costs.
021.41.4160.537.xx.xx in 2 projects: 6184160 General Operating & Due Diligence, and 6214104 Land Management.
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Strategic Guide:
Environment
Background:
1) On July 2, 2021, Lucretia Brooks nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On August 26, 2021, the Land Conservation Board placed the ~2.58-acre Lake Santa Fe - Brooks property on the Priority Pool as a Fee Simple acquisition.
The Books property consists of eight parcels that are, individually, about 0.32 acres (17487-001-019, 17487-001-020, 17487-001-021, 17487-001-022, 17487-001-023, 17487-001-024, 17487-001-025 and 17487-001-026). The parcels are inholdings for the Lake Alto Preserve - Padgett Tract, that Alachua County purchased Alachua County in November of 2020. The parcels are part of a 1971 residential subdivision development that was never constructed. This recorded “Pine Island” subdivision has legal access through a dedicated road that crosses the Padgett property. These lots are on a historically dredged, but isolated canal stub, that originally was going to connect to the Waldo Canal, but never was completed.
These parcels support good ecological condition mesic flatwoods. The overstory is dominated with a variety of pine tree species and native midstory and ground cover. Very few invasive exotic plant species were found. If purchased, these parcels will be incorporated into the management of Lake Alto Preserve with negligible financial adjustments. What appears to be a Florida Black Bear claw mark was seen on a red maple tree on the property. (Exhibit 1)
2) On July 3, 2021, Sara R. Nussel nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On August 26, 2021, the Land Conservation Board placed the 116-acre Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Jackson Heirs property on the Priority Pool for fee simple acquisition.
The Jackson Heirs property consists of two parcels (20069-000-000 & 20078-000-000). The property is located east of the Lochloosa community across US HWY 301, south of Hawthorne. The Jackson Hairs Property is adjacent to the 3,974-acre Lochloosa Slough-Fox Pen Connector (LS-Fox Pen Connector) property, which the County has under contract to acquire by November 23, 2021. The Jackson Heirs property expands the LS-Fox Pen Connector acquisition footprint and connects a 40-acre outparcel of LS-Fox Pen Connector that lacks legal access.
The Jackson Heirs parcels support a variety of habitats including basin swamp, mesic flatwoods, depression marsh, baygall and successional hardwood forest ranging from fair to excellent condition. There is an old 1,350 square foot home and improved pasture on the property as well. Invasive exotic plants are in very low density across the site. Wildlife species observed include, pygmy rattlesnake, red shouldered hawks, blue headed vireos, ruby throated hummingbird and several active gopher tortoise borrows. (Exhibit 2)
3) On September 24, 2020, Mark S. Allaben nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On January 28, 2021, the Land Conservation Board placed the 98-acre Watermelon Pond - Allaben & Anderson property on the Priority Pool for fee simple acquisition.
The Allaben & Anderson property consists of one parcel (02666-001-000), and located adjacent to the Watermelon Pond Wildlife and Environmental Area and south of the City of Newberry. The land owners are interested in restoring the habitat on-site, with an interest in future long-term preservation of the property.
The property is mainly, good condition, intact sandhill natural community, with an uneven-aged longleaf pine overstory. In 2020, with the goal of improving the habitat quality and diversity, the landowners initiated removal of successional hardwoods which had established on-site due to fire suppression. One historic collapsed sinkhole is located in the center of the property. Low numbers of non-native invasive plants were observed on the property.
Wildlife species observed include, Sherman’s fox squirrels, eastern phoebe, pine warblers, Carolina chickadees, ruby-crowned kinglets, downy woodpecker, deer and turkey. (Exhibit 3)
As with all of our conservation lands, if accepted as a acquisitions, these properties will go through the vetting process for the Registry of Protected Places.
Comp Plan Reference:
Policy 6.0 Land Conservation Program within the Conservation and Open Space Element, states “Establish and maintain a land conservation program for the purchase, preservation, and management of natural areas and open space to complement the regulatory approaches identified in other section of this element.