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2012 public lands assessment

Updated on 12-11-2012

The St. Johns River Water Management District’s Governing Board on Dec. 11, 2012, approved a Lands Assessment Implementation Plan that calls for:

• Retaining 569,779 acres, which represents 92 percent of District-owned lands.
• Donating 25,091 acres to local governments and retaining conservation easements on those lands.
• Selling 6,574 acres and retaining easements to protect the lands’ conservation values.
• Surplusing to sell/exchange 3,591 acres of land that have lower conservation value, have land management issues, or are no longer needed for the original purpose of the acquisition.
• Converting 13,388 acres to alternative uses, such as leases allowing for forestry activities or peat removal.

While the plan identifies about 1 percent of the District’s property holdings as surplus for possible sale or exchange, the Dec. 11 vote did not approve the sale of any particular parcel. A proposed contract for sale or exchange of property must subsequently be approved by the Governing Board in a public meeting.

Some District-owned lands are project sites for water resource development; some are sites for water control projects. Properties range from wetlands and historically wet areas to dry upland areas. Virtually all District properties are open to the public for recreation that is compatible with conservation goals.

The plan was developed through a yearlong evaluation process that incorporated a science-based analysis of each acre of property to determine whether the agency’s water resource protection goals continue to be achieved, comments received through a series of public meetings, comments submitted online, and discussions between District staff and local governments.

As part of its work to protect water resources, the District purchased land over the past 35 years that provides a variety of public and environmental benefits. Under Florida law, water management districts are authorized to buy land for several purposes, including flood control, conservation and the protection of water resources.

To examine whether the agency’s goals continue to be achieved, the District in December 2011 began a comprehensive evaluation of District-owned lands. As part of the assessment process, staff evaluated every acre of property to examine the need for conservation purposes. The evaluation focused on determining if any properties, or portions of these tracts, should be identified as surplus lands, or if portions of any properties should be considered for alternative uses.

Sometimes, negotiations between the District and a seller may have resulted in the inclusion of acreage that has minimal water resource value or is in a condition or location that poses land management challenges. The District occasionally, though infrequently, may dispose of such lands as surplus property rather than spend taxpayer funds to manage them.

District staff developed an evaluation matrix that was used to rank properties on their resource values, such as floodplains, strategic habitat, corridors and natural communities. The properties also were examined for their use as project sites, for recreation/public use and for their manageability.

Some District-owned lands are project sites for water resource development; some are sites for water control projects. Properties range from wetlands and historically wet areas to dry upland areas. Virtually all District properties are open to the public for recreation that is compatible with conservation goals.

The assessment examined:

• Significant conservation corridors or linkages
• Structural and non-structural flood protection
• Natural and cultural resources
• Public recreational opportunities, including hunting
• Access
• Leases
• Multiple uses (silviculture, agriculture, water supply, water resource development, recreation or stormwater management)

Some lands have little water resource protection value, such as small parcels split by major roadways.

Some lands have little water resource protection value, such as small parcels split by major roadways.

Additional factors considered included whether a property is under joint ownership, encumbered, or bound by conditions related to its funding source. Funding for the District’s land acquisition program has come largely from the state’s Florida Forever and predecessor programs and through partnerships with state and local governments. Less than 5 percent of acquisition funds have come from property taxes.

Revenue gained from any conservation property identified as surplus and subsequently sold can only be used for land acquisition. Funding cannot be redirected to any other aspect of the District’s budget. Additionally, the sale prices must be equal to or greater than a property’s current appraised value, regardless of the price paid when the District acquired it.