Alachua County Commission P bli Public Hearing H i Proposed Proposed Alachua County Proposed Proposed Alachua County Alachua County Forever Alachua County Forever Forever Forever ordinance establishing a ordinance establishing a Land Conservation Land Conservation Program Land Conservation Land Conservation Program Program Program Alachua County Board of County Commissioners County Administration Building 2nd Floor County Administration Building, 2nd Floor 12 SE 1st Street • Gainesville, FL July 25, 2000 • 6:00 PM
Presenters Presenters P Pam Zaber, Legacy Lands Chair Z b L L d Ch i Goal of Alachua County Forever Beverly Hill, Supervisor of Elections Citi Citizen Initiative Process I iti ti P Chris Bird, Environmental Protection Dept Overview of Environmentally Significant Lands Nat Frazer, Land Conservation Advisory Committee Selection of Environmental Lands Pegeen Hanrahan, Alachua Conservation Trust P H h Al h C ti T t Decision Matrix for Land Selection George Nickerson, Bond Attorney for the County B Bond issues d i Rick Mills, Office of Management & Budget Financial Implications Doug Hornbeck, Legacy Lands Treasurer Alachua County Forever Campaign
Overview of Overview of Alachua County Forever Alachua County Forever Pam Zaber Pam Zaber Chair Pam Zaber Pam Zaber, Chair Chair Chair Legacy Lands Legacy Lands
Legacy Lands Legacy Lands Steering Committee: • Dwight Adams • Dwight Adams • John Mahon • John Mahon • Ann Barkdoll • Melissa Jay Murphy • Rich Burges Rich Burges • Jane Nesbit • Jane Nesbit • Luis Diaz • Kris Pagenkopf • Alyson Flournoy • Pat Polopolus Pat Polopolus • Richard Hamann • Rex Rowan • Doug Hornbeck, Treasurer • Bob Rowe B b R • Nkwanda Jah • Cindy Smith • Rick Knellinger • Pam Zaber, Chair P Z b Ch i • Odetta MacLeish-White
Legacy Lands Legacy Lands Mission Statement Mission Statement “To acquire protect and manage To acquire, protect and manage environmentally significant lands, to protect water quality and wildlife habitat, and provide areas for low- impact, resource-based recreation.”
The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy Survey Survey • Preserving lands to protect drinking water - 85% favorable 85% favorable • Protection of endangered plants and animals g p - 78% favorable • Public access for resource-based recreation P bli f b d ti - 75% favorable
The Petition The Petition • Citizen’s Land Conservation Board Conservation Board • Willing sellers only • Acquire matching funds to leverage g County tax dollars • Up to 10% of the bond • Up to 10% of the bond funds for capital improvements and public access
The Funding The Funding Source Source • Bonds totaling about $29 million • .25 mill property tax for not more than 20 20 years • Offset by sunset of library capital Offset by sunset of library capital millage of .2469
Population Growth Population Growth • Florida is the 3rd most populous state • Population is estimated to increase from 15 million to 20 million by 2020 15 illi t 20 illi b 2020 • Alachua County grew 15% in just 6 years Alachua County grew 15% in just 6 years from 1991 to 1997 • Acquisition of significant lands now allows for better future planning allows for better future planning
Economic Payoff Economic Payoff • Eco-tourism creates jobs and has a economic multiplier effect on other area business b i - The 70 canoe liveries in Florida generate $38.5 million annually - Canoeists spend $5 in the p $ community for every $1 paid to the outfitters
Public Opinion in Public Opinion in Favor of Land Conservation Favor of Land Conservation • In 1998, 84% of the open space acquisition referenda in the US passed (124 out of 148) referenda in the US passed (124 out of 148) • In 1999, 90% of the open space acquisition In 1999, 90% of the open space acquisition referenda in the US passed (92 out of 102) • 84% of Alachua County voters polled felt that if natural lands are not protected now p they will be lost forever
Alachua County Forever Alachua County Forever Landscape is one source of humanness. Despite television, culture still has its deepest roots in geography; place is still a shaper of the soul The visual character of shaper of the soul. The visual character of the places where we spend our lives gives us the patterns by which we see. ~ Unattributed, from Land Trust listserve
Alachua County Forever Alachua County Forever When we see land as a community When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. p ~ Aldo Leopold
Alachua County Forever Alachua County Forever Never doubt that a small group of Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead Margaret Mead
Citizen Initiative Process and Citizen Initiative Process and Citizen Initiative Process and Certification of Citizen Initiative Process and Certification of Citizen Initiative Process and Citizen Initiative Process and Certification of Citizen Initiative Process and Citizen Initiative Process and Certification of Certification of the Certification of the Certification of the Certification of the the the the the Alachua Count Alachua Count Alachua Count Alachua Count lachua County Foreve lachua County Foreve lachua County Foreve lachua County Foreve y Forever Petition Forever Forever Forever Petition Petition Petition Petition Petition Petition Petition B B Bev Bev ev Hill ev Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Supervisor of Supervisor of Elections Supervisor of Supervisor of Elections Elections Elections
Overview of Overview of Environmentally Significant Environmentally Significant Lands in Alachua County Lands in Alachua County Lands in Alachua County Lands in Alachua County Chris Ch Ch Ch ris B B d D B Bir ird, D Direc D irector t or Environmental Protection Dept Environmental Protection Dept
Total Acres of Conservation Lands (Year 1999) Marion Levy Levy Columbia Clay y Putnam Alachua Bradford Union Gilchrist 0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 Total Acres
Total Percentage of County Lands in Conservation (Year 1999) Marion Clay Clay Levy Columbia Putnam Alachua Bradford Union Gilchrist 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Total Percentage of Conservation Lands
Other County Conservation Programs Other County Conservation Programs Currently 20 Florida counties have land conservation programs land conservation programs
Capital Improvements Activities: Capital Improvements Activities: • Parking lots • Fencing and Gates • Kiosks • Picnic Areas Picnic Areas • Restrooms • Trash Cleanup Trash Clean p • Trail Development • Removal of Exotics • Prescribed Burning • Hydrologic Restoration
Recurring Land Recurring Land Management Activities: Management Activities: • Fencing and Gates • Trash Disposal Trash Disposal • Parking Lots • Restrooms • Trail Repairs • Removal of Exotic Plants and Animals Animals • Prescribed Burning • Security S it
Selection of Selection of Environmental Lands for Environmental Lands for Purchase Purchase Nat Frazer, Nat Frazer, Vice-Chair Vice-Chair ALACHUA COUNTY ALACHUA COUNTY LAND CONSERVATI LAND CONSERVATION ADVISORY COMMI ON ADVISORY COMMITTEE TTEE
Land Conservation Land Conservation Advisory Committee Advisory Committee • Appointed by the County Commission on September 28, 1999 • To evaluate options and establish procedures and policies for a comprehensive land conservation program conservation program • LCAC Composition: - Recreation and Open Space Committee (ROSCO) - Environmental Protection Advisory Committee (EPAC) (EPAC) - Nature Centers’ Commission (NCC) - Others - Public Public - County staff
Land Conservation Land Conservation Advisory Committee Advisory Committee R Responsibilities: ibiliti • System for prioritizing lands for System for prioritizing lands for acquisition • Conservation easements Conservation easements • Bluebelt assessments • Urban-defining greenbelts • Opinion of proposed Alachua County • Opinion of proposed Alachua County Forever referendum • Partnership potentials • Partnership potentials
Land Conservation Land Conservation Advisory Committee Advisory Committee Process: • Reviewed County land conservation plans C • Evaluated the KBN study & others E l t d th KBN t d & th • Presentations P t ti • Matrix Drafts • Matrix Drafts
Land Conservation Land Conservation Advisory Committee Advisory Committee P Product: d t • De-politicized the process • Developed ranking system • Addressed the human dimension – Aquifer quality/recharge – Flood Management Fl d M t – Resource-based recreation – Scenic vistas Scenic vistas • Evaluated management prospects – Is it possible? I it ibl ? – Is it affordable?
Our Motivation Our Motivation
Decision Matrix for Decision Matrix for Land Land Selection Selection Pegeen Hanrahan, P.E., Pegeen Hanrahan, P.E., Executive Executive Directo Director Alachua Conservation Trust Alachua Conservation Trust
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