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. The staff recommendation is based on the addition of this property to the Priority Pool by the Land Conservation Board as outlined in Resolution 18-101.
• Austin Cary Flatwoods - Richard (Fee Simple and Full Price)
• Santa Fe River - Bell (Fee Simple and Full Price)
• Santa Fe River - Ewel (Fee Simple &/or Conservation Easement and Full Price)
• Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Hall (Conservation Easement and Full Price)
• High Springs - Shires (Conservation Easement and Bargain Share)
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 option contract or proposed purchase agreement 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 listed:
• Austin Cary Flatwoods - Richard (Fee Simple and Full Price)
• Santa Fe River - Bell (Fee Simple and Full Price)
• Santa Fe River - Ewel (Fee Simple &/or Conservation Easement and Full Price)
• Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Hall (Conservation Easement and Full Price)
• High Springs - Shires (Conservation Easement and Bargain Share)
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Prior Board Motions:
On February 22, 2022, the BoCC placed Santa Fe River - Ewel property on the Active Acquisition List as a Conservation Easement (Full Price List).
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Austin Cary Flatwoods - Richard (Fee Simple) - Cost Estimates:
• ACPA Value & Acquisition Due Diligence: $210,742
o Due Diligence: title work, appraisal, survey, environmental assessment
• Stewardship, initial 10 years: $90,610
Total estimated cost for acquisition and 10yr. stewardship: $301,352
The current annual property tax revenue of all the project parcels is: $755.45
Santa Fe River - Bell (Fee Simple) - Cost Estimates:
• ACPA Value & Acquisition Due Diligence: $279,012
o Due Diligence: title work, appraisal, survey, environmental assessment
• Stewardship, initial 10 years: $78,947
Total estimated cost for acquisition and 10yr. stewardship: $357,959
The current annual property tax revenue of all the project parcels is: $4,879.24
Santa Fe River - Ewel (Fee Simple) - Cost Estimates:
• ACPA Value & Acquisition Due Diligence: $419,704
o Due Diligence: title work, appraisal, survey, environmental assessment
• Stewardship, initial 10 years: $69,510
Total estimated cost for acquisition and 10yr. stewardship: $489,214
The current annual property tax revenue of all the project parcels is: $3,568.12
Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Hall (Conservation Easement) - Cost Estimates:
• ACPA Value & Acquisition Due Diligence: $468,003
o Due Diligence: title work, appraisal, survey, baseline document, environmental assessment
• Stewardship, initial 10 years: $5,500
Total estimated cost for acquisition and 10yr. stewardship: $ 473,503
The current annual property tax revenue of all the project parcels is: $1,398.84
Section 196.26(3) F.S. states, “Land that is dedicated in perpetuity for conservation purposes and that is used for allowed commercial uses is exempt from ad valorem taxation to the extent of 50 percent of the assessed value of the land.”
County would only purchase development rights, so acquisition costs would be much less than stated above (excluding remaining land rights and all site improvements).
High Springs - Shires (Conservation Easement) - Cost Estimates:
• ACPA Value & Acquisition Due Diligence: $370,289
o Due Diligence: title work, appraisal, survey, baseline document, environmental assessment
• Stewardship, initial 10 years: $5,500
Total estimated cost for acquisition and 10yr. stewardship: $375,789
The current annual property tax revenue of all the project parcels is: $2,140.10
Section 196.26(3) F.S. states, “Land that is dedicated in perpetuity for conservation purposes and that is used for allowed commercial uses is exempt from ad valorem taxation to the extent of 50 percent of the assessed value of the land.”
County would only purchase development rights, so acquisition costs would be much less than stated above (excluding remaining land rights and all site improvements).
Estimated stewardship costs for the initial 10 years for all five properties total $239,067. 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 7)
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Strategic Guide:
Strategic Guide
Environment
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Background:
Austin Cary Flatwoods - Richard: On April 2, 2022, Mr. John Richard nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On April 28, 2022, the Land Conservation Board placed the 117.63-acre Lake Santa Fe - Richard property on the Priority Pool as a Full Price, Fee Simple acquisition project.
The Richard project includes two parcels (17515-000-000 and 17515-001-000). The land is located in the northeastern portion of Alachua County adjacent to Lake Alto and within the Lake Alto Swamp and Austin Cary Strategic Ecosystems. Most importantly, the property bridges the gap between Lake Alto and two potential acquisition projects, currently on the Active Acquisition List: 4,700-acre Inmon & 257-acre Burch & Penturff.
The property is undeveloped and supports several natural community types in good to excellent condition, including, basin swamp, dome swamp, wet flatwoods, mesic flatwoods and blackwater stream. The dominant land cover is mesic flatwoods while 45% of the property are wetland swamps. There is a 32-acre borrow pit from the 1950’s or 1960’s. Due to the borrow pit’s age and lack of activity, this 2-3 foot deep excavation has grown in with native vegetation and only a small portion seems to support standing water. Very few exotic plants were detected on-site. (Exhibit 1 & 2)
The property’s location is one of the most important attributes, since it would contribute to the developing wildlife corridor that could link Newnans Lake to the headwaters of the Santa Fe River, through a complex of State and County owned conservation lands.
Santa Fe River - Bell: On May 6, 2022, Mr. Matthew Bell nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On May 26, 2022, the Land Conservation Board placed the 103.22-acre Santa Fe River - Bell property on the Priority Pool as a Full Price, Fee Simple acquisition project.
The Bell project includes four parcels in Alachua County (16905-001-000, 16905-002-001, 16905-002-000 and 16901-001-000) totaling 103.22 acres. The land is located in the northeastern portion of Alachua County, and within the highest ranked, Santa Fe River Strategic Ecosystem. The ownership has approximately one mile on the Santa Fe River along its northern boundary and includes one 25-acre parcel in Bradford County. Its southern boundary is along County Road 225.
The property is undeveloped and supports a variety natural community types in excellent to good condition, including, Major River (Santa Fe River), floodplain forest, mesic flatwoods and dome swamp. The dominant land cover is mesic flatwoods while 58 acres are wetlands. The floodplain forest has a very diverse overstory of hardwoods tree species. Low to moderate number of exotic plants were spotted during the site visit. (Exhibit 3 & 4)
Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) will be a partner on this acquisition by purchasing the 25-acre parcel in Bradford County.
Santa Fe River - Ewel: On February 22, 2022, the BoCC placed Santa Fe River - Ewel property on the Active Acquisition List as a Conservation Easement (Full Price List), as per the nomination by the landowners. Subsequent communications with the landowners concluded with a request that a Fee Simple acquisition be included in the negotiations with Alachua County. As a result, staff presented the landowner’s request to the Land Conservation Board (LCB) during the May 26, 2022, meeting. As a result, the LCB placed the 162.34-acre Santa Fe River - Ewel property on the Priority Pool as a Full Price, Fee Simple acquisition project.
The Ewel Farm project includes three parcels (02731-000-000, 02734-000-000 and 02735-002-001). It located in the northwestern portion of Alachua County adjacent to the O’leno State Park to the west and the Santa Fe River to its north. The property falls within the Santa Fe River Alachua County Forever (ACF) Project Area, the highest priority project area for the ACF program, and the Santa Fe River Strategic Ecosystem, which is the highest ranked strategic ecosystem for protection.
The Ewel Farm borders the Santa Fe River for just over one mile and supports a wide variety of natural communities in excellent to good condition, including: floodplain forest,
floodplain swamp, slope forest, sandhill, upland mixed forest, river floodplain lake and sinkhole. The Ewels have undertaken significant restoration efforts in the sandhill which have resulted in high degree of groundcover plant diversity. (Exhibit 5 & 6)
Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Hall: On April 6, 2022, Mr. Daniel H. Hall nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On May 26, 2022, the Land Conservation Board placed the 113.75-acre Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods - Hall property on the Priority Pool as a Full Price, Conservation Easement acquisition project.
The Hall project includes eight parcels (20004-004-000, 20004-003-000, 20004-001-002, 20004-001-001, 20004-001-000, 20004-000-000, 19995-002-000 and 20004-009-000). The land is located in the southeastern portion of Alachua County adjacent to Alachua Conservation Trust’s ownership of Fox Pen Preserve and within the Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods Project Area. Approximately nine acres of the Hall property fall within the East Lochloosa Forest Strategic Ecosystem.
The property currently supports agricultural activity, and the landowners would like to continue to utilize the property for cattle production, recreation, and hunting in the future. The land is made up of several natural and altered community types including upland hardwood forest, depression marsh, a sinkhole pond, former sandhill, and improved pasture, with wetlands only covering approximately 6% of the property. Exotic plants were present on-site. (Exhibit 7 & 8)
High Springs - Shires: On April 14, 2022, Loise Kisling Shires nominated the subject property to the Alachua County Forever Program. On May 26, 2022, the Land Conservation Board placed the 98.86-acre High Springs - Shires property on the Priority Pool as a Bargain Share, Conservation Easement acquisition project.
The Shires project includes one parcel (03872-000-000). The land is located in the northwestern portion of Alachua County within the City of Alachua. The property’s eastern boundary is along US Highway 75 and western boundary fronts County Road 235A. The land does not fall within any Strategic Ecosystem.
The property currently supports agricultural activity, and the landowners would like to continue to use the property for crop production and equestrian pasture into the future. The stables onsite can support up to 28 horses. A variety of agricultural and residential structures are onsite. There are five distinct sinkholes on the property. An assortment of trees are along fence lines and surround the sinkholes. Exotic plants were present onsite in low to high abundance. (Exhibit 9 & 10)
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 18-101.
As with all our 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.”