Agenda Item Name:
Addition of Land Conservation Projects to the Alachua County Forever Active Acquisition List.
Presenter:
Andi Christman / (352) 264-6803
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. The staff recommendation is based on the addition of these properties to the Priority Pool by the Land Conservation Board as outlined in Resolution 22-066.
1) Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Tompkins (Fee Simple w/ reserved Life Estate)
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 contract or option will be brought back to the Board for consideration.
Recommended Actions:
Approve the addition of the following properties on the Active Acquisition List as a Fee Simple Acquisition.
1. Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Tompkins (Full-Price List Fee Simple Acquisition with reserved Life Estate)
Prior Board Motions:
None
Fiscal:
Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Tompkins (Fee Simple w/ Life Estate) - Cost Estimates:
• ACPA Value & Acquisition Due Diligence: $179,549
o Due Diligence: title work, appraisal, survey, environmental assessment
• Stewardship, initial 10 years: $19,960
Total estimated cost for acquisition and stewardship: $217,509
The current annual property tax revenue of all the project parcels is: $288.92
Sufficient budget exists in the Wild Spaces Public Places Land Allocation for these costs.
Project 6184160- WSPP-General Operating & Due Diligence: 021.41.4160.537.31.00
Project 6194101-WSPP-Land Acquisition: 021.41.4160.537.61.00
(Exhibit 3)
Strategic Guide:
Environment
Background:
Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Tompkins: On September 6, 2022, Julie Tompkins, the landowner, nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program for consideration as a fee simple purchase with a reserved life estate. This acquisition structure would allow the landowner to continue use of the property until they are no longer able or desirous to do so, and valuation of the property for a contract would consider the value of residence on-site until that time. On October 27, 2022, the Land Conservation Board placed the 40-acre Lochloosa Sough Flatwoods - Tompkins property on the Priority Pool as a Fee Simple purchase with a reserved Life Estate.
The Tompkins project is a single parcel (20163-000-000) located in southeastern unincorporated Alachua County. The property is northeast of Orange Lake and just east of Lochloosa Lake and Highway 301, south of Hawthorne. It is in the Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods ACF Project Area, and a portion of the property is in the Lochloosa Slough Strategic Ecosystem. There is no public road frontage, and it is an inholding within the Lochloosa Slough Preserve, which is already owned and managed by the County. Protection of inholdings within existing conservation lands serves an important role in improving protection of the surrounding preserve property, simplifying implementation of restoration and management practices, and facilitating more opportunities for recreational use preserve-wide.
The property is primarily improved/semi-improved pasture that is maintained through grazing by a small number of cattle and horses. The central portion of the property surrounding the homestead is dominated by an overstory of mature live and laurel oaks, and there are also several large, mature longleaf pines scattered throughout the property as well. There are two wetland features on the site - a small pond on the southwest boundary, and a larger depression marsh (approx. 5.8 acres) on the east side of the property. The depression marsh is in good condition and is ringed with black gum and pines There is a very shallow ditch that runs north/ south through the wetland that extends to the northern boundary of the property that has likely affected its hydrology over time. There are no documented archeological sites on the property. The landowner reported seeing a variety of wildlife on the site including black bears, banded water snakes, Florida sandhill cranes, bald eagles, gopher tortoises, deer, turkey, and many other species.
(Exhibit 1 & 2)
General:
The staff recommendation is based on the addition of these properties to the Priority Pool by the Land Conservation Board as outlined in Resolution 22-66.
As with all Alachua County-owned conservation lands, if accepted as an acquisition, this property 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.”