Agenda Item Name:
Title
Barr Hammock Preserve Groundwater Monitoring Well Site: Resolution and Easement Agreement.
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Presenter:
Andi Christman (352)262-5157
Description:
A non-exclusive easement to be granted by Alachua County to St. Johns River Water Management District for installation, maintenance, and sampling of groundwater monitoring wells at Barr Hammock Preserve on tax parcel number 16844-001-000.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
That the Board adopt the resolution authorizing conveyance of non-exclusive easement pursuant to Section 125.38, Florida Statutes, for installation, maintenance, and sampling of groundwater monitoring wells at Barr Hammock Preserve to St. Johns River Water Management District, and authorize the Chair execute the easement.
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Prior Board Motions:
November 9, 2010 - The Board exercised the option to purchase the Barr Hammock Preserve - Perry tract.
October 9, 2012 - The Board adopted Resolution 12-113, placing the Barr Hammock Perry tract (Tax Parcel Number 16844-001-000) on the Alachua County Registry of Protected Public Places.
October 28, 2014 - The Board approved the most recent Barr Hammock Preserve Management Plan.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Pursuant to Section 125.38, Florida Statutes, the County will not require the Water Management District to pay the County any compensation for granting the easement.
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Background:
The St. Johns River Water Management District operates and maintains groundwater monitoring wells in a geographic network, to monitor groundwater levels and groundwater quality in the Floridan aquifer system. St. Johns River Water Management District has requested an easement at Barr Hammock Preserve to install, maintain, and sample a cluster of up to five (5) groundwater monitoring wells. These wells will be installed at depths to allow monitoring of the Upper, Middle, Lower, and surficial aquifers.
Staff has identified a location at the Barr Hammock Preserve South Trailhead (300 SE 175th Ave., Micanopy, Florida), on tax parcel number 16844-001-000, suitable for the groundwater well installation, maintenance and sampling which will not impede the County’s ability to conduct land stewardship activities, nor impede public recreational access to the preserve. The wells will be installed in a previously disturbed location, near the parking area for the Barr Hammock Preserve South Trailhead.
Tax Parcel Number 16844-001-000 (Barr Hammock Perry property) was placed on the Alachua County Registry of Protected Public Places, Pursuant to Section 1.7(b), Alachua County Charter, properties placed on the Alachua County Registry of Protected Public Places may not be sold or converted to a use resulting in the loss of value or values for which the property was placed on the registry, except by a majority vote of the electors voting in a countywide referendum election. The location, purpose, and term of the monitoring well site easement is consistent with the Registry in that the use of the property will not change, and the values for which the land was protected will not be diminished.
Monitoring of the Floridan aquifer facilitates detection of potential groundwater contamination and measurement of groundwater levels. This is aligned with the mission of the Alachua County Forever program “To acquire, manages, and improve environmentally significant lands to protect water resources, wildlife habitat, and to provide natural areas suitable for resource-based recreation.” In support of this aspect of the Alachua County Forever mission, groundwater monitoring wells have also been previously installed at Lake Alto Preserve by the Suwannee River Water Management District, and Watermelon Pond Preserve by the St. John River Water Management District.