Agenda Item Name:
Title
Recognize unanticipated revenue and sign grant contract between Alachua County and the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
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Presenter:
Andi Christman / (352) 264-6803
Description:
Request the approval of a budget amendment in the amount of $1,000,000, and request for the Board to approve a Grant Contract (LPS0067) with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). This grant will provide matching funds for the purchase of the Rembert Conservation Easement (Rembert CE) Alachua County Forever (ACF) Acquisition Project
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
1. Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Grant Contract LPS0067 between Alachua County and the FDEP (Exhibit 1)
2. Adopt resolution recognizing unanticipitated revenue (Exhibit 2)
3. Approve the budget amendment for receipt of grant funds (Exhibit 3)
4. Authorize the County Manager to execute all related documents and amendments as needed to receive the grant.
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Prior Board Motions:
January 26, 2021: Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) added the Mill Creek - Rembert land conservation project to the Alachua County Forever Active Acquisition List as a Conservation Easement.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
The county is receiving grant funding from the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This is a $1,000,000 reimbursement grant to cover a portion (up to 50%) of expenses of the anticipated purchase of the Rembert Conservation Easement.
Wild Spaces Public Places Fund
Revenue: 021.41.4160.334.3900,
Expense: 021.41.4160.537.61.00,
Project #6194101 - Mill Creek - Rembert
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Strategic Guide:
Strategic Guide
Environment
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Background:
On January 26th, 2021 the Alachua County Office of Land Conservation submitted a BoCC agenda item to add the Mill Creek - Rembert Project to the Alachua County Forever Active Acquisition List. At the time, Staff also submitted a grant request to Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) for springs protection funding to cover part of the cost of the conservation easement. The SRWMD selected the Rembert project for a $1,000,000 matching grant funding award from the State Springs Grant Program which is administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to partially reimburse the County for the potential cost of acquisition of the Rembert Conservation Easement. The cost share grant allows the FDEP and Alachua County to share the acquisition costs for this important water resource protection project.
The Rembert family project includes twelve parcels under two ownerships (03000-001-001, 03000-000-000, 03000-005-000, 03000-005-001, 02971-000-000, 02977-000-000, 02975-004-000, 02975-003-004, 02972-001-000, 02978-000-000, 02981-000-000 and 02980-003-000). The property is located within the northern city limits of Alachua, in north-central Alachua County. About 238 acres of the land fall within the Mill Creek Strategic Ecosystem.
The property is a mosaic of natural communities in excellent - good condition mixed with hay pasture/row crops and pine plantation. The most outstanding natural feature of the property is the over three miles of winding blackwater stream and seepage stream with the surrounding high quality slope forests which traverse the property. Nine of the twelve nominated parcels contain portions of this creek system, which are tributaries of Mill Creek and feed into the Mill Creek Sink, approximately 2 miles downstream from the Rembert property. The majority of the uplands above the slope forests were converted to pasture prior to the 1938 aerial imagery, and some were planted in longleaf pine in the 1990’s; however, the slope forests along this creek system have remained intact until present.
Acquisition of a conservation easement on this property would further protect the Mill Creek Sink stream to sink system and add a key piece of protection in the Springs Protection Zone in this area. Dye tracing studies have shown that Mill Creek Sink is hydrologically connected to Hornsby Springs, which then feeds into the Santa Fe River, an Outstanding Florida Waterway. Protection of the Santa Fe River is one of the highest priorities of the Alachua County Forever Program. In addition, protecting water entering Mill Creek Sinkhole contributes to public drinking water quality, since water from the sinkhole has been found in the Santa Fe Hills Water Association (formerly: Santa Fe Hills Public Water System).
(Exhibit 4 - Rembert Property Evaluation)