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Item C6 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY LAND AUTHORITY Meeting Date:_ J 0/18/00_~ Division: BOCC Bulk Item: Yes No x --- Department: _ Comm issioner Will iams ___ AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Discussion and agreement on affirmative action concerning expenditures of existing Preservation 2000 funds. ITEM BACKGROUND: PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: STAFF RECOMMENDATION: TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes: No: COST TO COUNTY: REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes: No: AMOUNT PER MONTH YEAR APPROVED BY, Couuty Attom,y_ ~MB/pU"h"iu,,--- ~. Ri'k ':""'"l""UI_~-- ~ DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: --\\"\. V - ~e~ r D t2.. Nora A. Williams I DOCUMENTATION: Included:~ To Follow:_x_ Not Required: DISPOSITION: Agenda Item #:MJI- Cnit.I1}JISSIONER _NORA WILLIAMS District 4 To: My Fellow Commissioners During recent meetings, including a Water Quality Steering Committee meeting that both Commissioner Neugent and I attended, the State has raised concerns about the 9.5 million dollars that remain in the Land Authority's Preservation 2000 funding. Last year, at least one State Legislator started sniffing around that money, and, it appears likely, that those funds will be threated more seriously this year if we have not made significant progress by March of this year. Those funds were hard won, and wouldn't have been possible if Debbie Horan hadn't really put her political power into getting them, and it would be a serious tragedy to lose a penny of those monies. I am proposing three resolutions designed to help move us forward and streamline this process: 1) A resolution that the expenditure of these funds should be the Land Authority's first priority. What we're hearing from the State is that we move it or we lose it, ladies and gentlemen, so we need to send a clear message here. 2) A resolution authorizing the Executive Director of the Land Authority to execute purchase contracts on behalf of the Board, provided the purchase price is less than $50,000, the purchase price is within the guidelines established by the Land Authority's operating rule, and the property is on the Acquisition List approved by the Board. This is in line with the State guidelines and will save 60 days on our current process for smaller, less expensive properties, like individual lots. 3) A resolution concerning the types of properties that the Land Authority should be making a priority. Ideally, we would be awaiting the results of the county's CommuniKeys program for a clear idea of community consensus, and we will, undoubtedly, make the properties that emerge from that process a priority when they DO emerge, but, for now, we can pretty much guarantee that we won't have this money if we wait that long to act. So I've outlined some broad categories of purchase that I think would be wise ones to include, and await your comments, suggestions and recommended changes. That list is attached. Additionally, we really must come to some conclusion on the Land Management issue now. I will ask for a discussion on the progress we are making on that issue. Thanks for your consideration! MONROE COUNTY FLORIDA Marathon Government Annex, 490 63rd St. Ocean #110, Marathon, FL 33050 Phone (305)-289-6000; Fax (305)289-6306; E-mail: noraw@mail.state.fl.us My Fellow Commissioners: As we have millions of unspent dollars from state funds, are considering applying for more Communities Trust grants for land acquisition for conservation, etc., and as we shall surely be looking for more funds over time to allow us to deal with more land acquisition issues, it seems a good time to set out an actual policy for such acquisition by the Land Authority. That policy should include priorities for such expenditure and I've suggested some policy outlines in the pages that follow. Land Authority Policy On Conservation Lands Acquisition and Conservation Acquisition Priorities Overview: Policy: It is the policy of the Monroe County Land Authority, in acquiring land for conservation, to preserve and enhance the natural beauty and environment of the Florida Keys in order to preserve and enhance the quality of life for all our residents and visitors. Acquisition Priorities (in no particular order): 1) Buy natural areas prioritized as follows: land in CARL projects first, land in national wildlife refuges second, and other land last. (Willing sellers only.) 2) Buy and restore selected US 1 frontage properties to native vegetation, in keeping with recommendations of the CommuniKeys program, should those recommendations be available. (Willing sellers only.) 3) Buy conservation easements on vacant lots in developed subdivisions in conjunction with adjoining homeowners. (Willing sellers only.) 4) Buy large parcels that pose future or current growth management problems. (Willing sellers only.) 5) Buy all vacant property on Big Pine and No Name Keys, starting outside of the most densely populated subdivisions. (Willing sellers only.) Details follow, including beneftts and issues for each priority item. Benefits and Issues with each of the proposed Conservation Land Acquisition Priorities: 1. Project: Buy natural areas prioritized as follows: land in CARL projects first, land in national wildlife refuges second, and other land last. (Willing sellers only.) Benefits: High resource protection, follows existing state and federal commitments for stewardship responsibilities, implements Cabinet comp plan rule and Year 2010 plan, protects property rights for owners adversely impacted by County environmental regulations. Issues: USFWS would need to endorse the purchase of all lands in refuge boundaries. 2. Project: Buy and restore selected US 1 frontage properties to native vegetation, in keeping with recommendations of the CommuniKeys program, should those recommendations be available. (Willing sellers only. ) Benefits: Protects property rights for owners hurt by commercial moratorium; enhances scenic beauty and character of US 1; protects affordable housing stock, creates impetus for CommuniKeys program to minimize "strip mall" look of the Keys, may provide additional incentive for the State to support our easing restrictions on existing businesses. Issues: Highway frontage property generally requires more frequent and more thorough stewardship activities. 3. Project: Buy conservation easements on vacant lots in developed subdivisions in conjunction with adjoining homeowners. (Willing sellers only. ) Benefits: Reduces buildout without all the responsibilities of fee simple ownership (Le. management remains with the adjacent homeowner); keeps a portion of the property on the tax roll; gives homeowners more elbow room. Issues: Must make s.ure the conservation easement is carefully crafted to avoid Dodge Lake scenarios. 4. Project: Buy large parcels that pose future or current growth management problems. Benefits: Spends large amounts of grant money quickly and efficiently (certain types of grants are more likely if parcels to be purchased are sizable); growth management benefits will vary by property but could include reducing future or present traffic congestion; protecting property rights, resolving litigation. Issues: May not provide the most bang for the buck; properties will have to be carefully selected to minimize opposition and maximize community consensus. ::>. ProJect: Buy all vacant property on Big Pine and No Name Keys In areas where the CommuniKeys program supports such an endeavor, starting outside of the most densely populated subdivisions. (Willing sellers only.) Benefits: Protects property rights for owners adversely impacted by County environmental regulations; preserves rural character of the area; protects Key deer from secondary impacts of development. Issues: USFWS would need to endorse the purchase of this land. Many of the remaining vacant parcels are in developed subdivisions and will have associated land management costs, if neighboring property-owners don't want to assume responsibility. 6. Project: A Big Pine Area Park Benefits: Fills a real community need that has already been endorsed by this Commission. Issues: Uses of the park would be limited by the limitations placed on Preservation 2000 funds (as we've already discovered in Marathon). The Community must be clearly informed of those limitations so that expectations of park uses are based on the reality of these limitations. 7. Buy Greenspace/natural areas/appropriate recreational areas as community consensus indicates in the CommuniKeys program Benefits: Works to guide the future growth of Keys' communities in ways those communities desire, creates goodwill in community to see their desires matched with funding resources, helps control build-out and provide recreational space. Issues: Same as Item #6 above when space purchased is for recreational rather than conservation uses.