Agenda Item Name:
Title
Resolution 19-XX - Accepting the Donation of Real Property from Smith & Smith
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Presenter:
Charlie Houder / (352) 264-6804
Description:
Staff request approval of the Resolution accepting the donation of 14.52 acres of real property from Smith & Smith for use as an Alachua County Forever (ACF) Preserve.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of Resolution 19-XX, accepting the donation of real property from Smith & Smith subject to the completion of due diligence with the review and approval by the County Manager.
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Prior Board Motions:
N/A
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
The Property Appraiser’s Just Value for the property is $32,900.
The estimated annual operating cost is $5,000.
The estimated closing costs would be $4,000.
The boundary survey would be taken care of by the county surveyor and the phase I environmental assessment would be approximately $3,000. There may be up to an additional $1,000 in additional costs for signs, boundary markers, etc. The total acquisition cost is not expected to be more than $8,000 in total.
The annual loss of revenue to all jurisdictions from the payment of ad valorem is $775.45.
021.41.4160.537.61.00 - 6194101 - Lochloosa Forest Connector - Smith & SmithEnd
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Background:
Joel E. Smith contacted staff with the offer of a donation of 14.52 acres (parcel #18354-037-001). This single parcel is owned by Joel E. Smith, who holds a revocable life estate, and his brother, Richmond G. Smith. It is located on the northeastern side of Orange Lake and west of South County Road 325 in Cross Creek.
The property is within the Kennedy’s Survey subdivision and is bordered on the west by a marshy portion of Orange Lake that is owned by the Audubon Society Inc. Conservation Florida holds a conservation easement over a 25-acre parcel less than one-quarter mile to the south. Several other owners of adjacent or nearby properties also have an interest in protecting their lands in the future.
Access to the Smith & Smith parcel is over a private, unpaved road. It has a mosaic of good to excellent condition natural communities dominated by mesic hammock, with hydric hammock, basin swamp and an upland hardwood type community. (Exhibit 1)
On May 23, 2019, the Land Conservation Board placed the Lochloosa Connector - Smith & Smith parcel on the, Priority Pool as a donation. In addition, the proposed donation received a positive review by the Donation Acceptance Committee in accordance with the County Donation Policy. (Exhibit 2 & 3)
The Smith & Smith property would be managed as an ACF Preserve and there are no current plans to open it to the public at this time.
Staff recommends that the Board accept the donation subject to the completion and review of due diligence. With the Board’s approval, staff will obtain a title commitment, survey and Phase I environmental assessment. Closing transactions would occur once there has been a determination by the County Manager that there are no title, survey or environmental defects.