Agenda Item Name:
Title
Alachua County Forever/Land Conservation and Management Program 10-Year Plan Presentation
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Presenter:
Andi Christman, (352)264-6803
Description:
Alachua County Forever/Land Conservation and Management Program 10-Year Plan Presentation
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
• Approve implementation of the 10-year Land Conservation and Management Plan and strategies as presented.
• Authorize funding, planning, and construction of the combined field support and office facility for the Land Conservation Program using WSPP surtax funds.
• Provide direction and guidance to staff on the percentage split of WSPP infrastructure surtax proceeds to be dedicated to conservation lands and active parks for the 10-year surtax beginning January 1, 2023 and ending December 31, 2032.
• Provide guidance to staff on whether or not surtax proceeds can be used for operations and maintenance costs, including staff.
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Prior Board Motions:
• On 6/28/22 the Board passed a motion to establish BOCC Resolution 22-066 (Exhibit 2), providing and amending the process for selecting and acquiring environmentally significant lands purchased using Wild Spaces and Public Places local government infrastructure surtax proceeds.
• On 4/19/22 the Board was presented with the 5-year Alachua County Forever Plan update as a part of the Environmental Protection Department Budget Deep Dive, identifying future acquisition targets and strategies, the proposed location for a combined field support and office facility for the Program and proposed staffing plan through FY2024.
• On 3/22/22 the Board passed a motion adopting Ordinance 2022-088 (Exhibit 3) authorizing the use of infrastructure surtax proceeds for WSPP uses and other infrastructure uses.
• On 8/12/21 the Board was presented with the Alachua County Forever 3-5 year plan, and passed a motion authorizing the use of WSPP funds for initial improvements of lands for initial improvement (operational costs) associated with lands acquired through the WSPP surtax funding. $5,860,908 were allocated for this use across fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
• On 4/13/21 the Board heard presentations on Alachua County Forever land acquisition and land management priorities and strategies.
• On 3/9/21 the Board passed a motion directing staff to provide an update on: Wild Spaces Public Places accomplishments overall, lessons learned, future visions including agricultural lands in preparation for infrastructure surtax and any inventory or prioritization of lands.
• On 1/26/21 the Board passed a motion to direct staff to provide the BoCC with recommendations for a permanent facility location for the Office of Land Conservation and Management.
• On 8/8/17 the Board passed a motion committing to a split of funding in the Wild Spaces and Public Places proceeds of 90% to land conservation projects and 10% to active recreation projects.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
The new surtax effective January 1, 2023, should generate approximately $188 million over 10 years for Conservation Lands and Parks and Open Spaces. Additionally, there is approximately $22 million remaining from the expired surtax for Conservation Land.
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Strategic Guide:
Strategic Guide
Environment
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Background:
The mission of the Alachua County Forever (ACF) Program is to acquire, improve, and manage environmentally significant lands that protect water resources, wildlife habitats and natural areas suitable for resource-based recreation. It was established in 2000 after the Alachua County Forever Bond referendum was approved by the voters of Alachua County. In addition, the program has been supported by voters in three subsequent Wild Spaces and Public Places ballot referenda, in 2008, 2016, and most recently in 2022. The ten-year plan presented here reflects the strategy for continued pursuit of the ACF program mission and County Comprehensive Plan (2019-2040) goals; with emphasis on local conservation priorities, while considering state, national, and global conservation benchmarks.
The next ten years of the Alachua County Forever program are critical to long-term future of land conservation in Alachua County. With the projected growth of the population of Alachua County and the associated expansion of the developed landscape in the County, the value of conservation lands becomes greater for drinking water and surface water protection, wildlife habitat and biodiversity protection, public resource-based recreational access, flood mitigation, and climate resiliency. Concurrently, the landscape-level corridors established as program priorities and through the County’s Comprehensive Plan, become increasingly difficult to connect due to fragmentation.
Adoption of Wild Spaces and Public Places funding splits as a part of the recently passed infrastructure surtax will determine the County’s ability to acquire and manage key environmentally sensitive lands in priority corridors, and the level at which an Agricultural Land Protection Program can be incorporated into the land conservation strategy county-wide.
Wild Spaces and Public Places surtax referenda include: In 2008, Alachua County voters passed the Wild Spaces and Public Places surtax referendum, establishing a 2-year, half-cent surtax to be utilized by Alachua County and the municipalities within Alachua County to acquire and improve conservation lands and create, improve and maintain parks and recreational facilities within Alachua County. In 2016, Alachua County voters approved a renewal of the Wild Spaces and Public Places initiative with a one-half cent sales tax to be levied for eight years. In 2022, Alachua County voters passed a referendum to fund local infrastructure projects with a ten-year one-cent surtax. This surtax repealed and replaced the last two years of the 2016 surtax, dedicating one-half cent dedicated to Wild Spaces and Public places projects, and the other half cent funding other County infrastructure needs.
Alachua County, through the Alachua County Forever Program and Wild Spaces and Public Places surtax referenda, has established itself as a leader in successful prioritization and protection of environmentally significant lands. Board Resolution 22-066 says “WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the citizens of Alachua County that action be taken in order to protect for future generations the natural resources of Alachua County by acquiring, improving and managing environmentally significant lands;” Through a combination of local funding, partner and grant support, and landowner and citizen participation and commitment, close to 33,000 acres have been protected in a combination of fee simple and conservation easement acquisitions, and landowner donations to date. However, to achieve the needed levels of future protection identified in local, state, national, and global analyses, significant continued funding and support of both land acquisition and land stewardship strategies must be prioritized.
Alachua County Comprehensive Plan Reference (2019-2040):
CONSERVATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT
Goal - To conserve, manage and restore or enhance the natural and human-related resources of Alachua County to ensure long-term environmental quality for the future.
1.0 CONSERVATION OVERVIEW
• OBJECTIVE 1.1 - CONSERVATION STRATEGIES
• Embrace multiple, diverse strategies for the conservation of natural systems in Alachua County.
• OBJECTIVE 1.2 - CONSERVATION AS PRIORITY
• Establish environmental conservation as a priority in all decision-making for Alachua County.
6.0 LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM
• OBJECTIVE 6.1 - PROGRAM OVERVIEW
• 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 sections of this element.
• OBJECTIVE 6.2 - ALACHUA COUNTY FOREVER - Implement the Alachua County Forever program.
• OBJECTIVE 6.3 - ECOLOGICALLY FUNCTIONAL LINKAGES - Develop a linked network of protected natural areas and open space that can be managed to support the protection, enhancement and restoration of functional and connected natural systems while providing unique opportunities for recreation, and economic development.