[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6184408,"mediaKeyId","5090865-076cfdc45520258de1e5145246f7efa6","parentId",5090865,"title","Committee recommends Barbee Ranch conservation easement; Florida Forever seeking state match","audioSeconds",1984,"startMs",2779000,"endMs",4763000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5090865-076cfdc45520258de1e5145246f7efa6&start=2779&end=4763","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5090865-076cfdc45520258de1e5145246f7efa6/thumbnail_2779000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6184408/Martin-County/Florida/Committee-recommends-Barbee-Ranch-conservation-easement-Florida-Forever-seeking-state-match","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184408-9c12b09d90e003b522aa747d02a6896c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159848&Signature=D6KaCoAShMxGC8vE13i83J9eFfWNLJUVy9eQJ86Kzw3S7G0IkHVwBu4ppI6L9qa7uhfV4iGC889vT9QaIDftkX7AU~7bUfrSyDSJWlZ8aVxAD04uCVFfr97NiZTYzG1ff3IImw1TiglEcZzd8au8v4Dv~Bic0JZhimXQHE3X7IuI4H0JGYqvb3EnSav~4Pyt3YO-5OSfbW76nAI0dU01f8pZzuji8690fKWQthNjk463Fd8fcPuHIJ0n6Y-RfuoOkGJCZd03u4mb7nHhIX~ubHxuiJr3MB775zhkaXcAE6eRZMGby3uWd3tQBLrUmdeZq1~XM9~uF5gwsRMRhKxl2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Martin County, FL","date","2025-06-25T23:29:52Z","article","The Environmental Lands Oversight Committee unanimously recommended that the Board of County Commissioners consider county participation in a conservation‑easement transaction for the Barbee Ranch property after staff outlined the property's role in the Indian River Lagoon South (IRL South) portion of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Michael Houston, senior project manager, told the committee the Barbee Ranch proposal is being presented as a conservation easement rather than fee simple purchase. \"This is a conservation easement instead of a fee simple acquisition,\" Houston said, noting that Florida Forever has led negotiations and that a right of first refusal in the easement could allow future fee‑simple acquisition by government partners.

Why it matters: Staff said the property lies within the IRL South project area and can provide shallow storage and natural lands needed by the federal-state CERP program to protect the St. Lucie Estuary. Houston told the committee Florida Forever would provide about $12 million and is asking Martin County for approximately $5 million to complete a roughly $17 million conservation‑easement transaction as presented to the committee.

Property and conservation details: Staff presented acreage and cost figures that varied slightly in the slides: Houston referred to the parcel as about 1,941 acres in one slide and summarized the easement cost as roughly $17,000,000 for 1,910 acres at about $8,900 per acre in another slide. The committee was clear that the easement document has not been drafted in final form and that terms will need to be negotiated and reviewed by county counsel before any county funding is committed.

Legal and management questions: Sebastian Fox, assistant county attorney, advised the committee that the draft easement had not been provided for review and that final rights retained by the landowner would depend on easement language negotiated by Florida Forever, the state agencies and the owner. Fox said, \"I think the easement document would have to be reviewed before you would be able to confirm, you know, what rights the landowner would retain. I have not seen that draft easement.\" Committee members pressed whether an easement would prevent conversion of natural habitat to agricultural pasture; staff and counsel said that Florida Forever easements are typically written to restrict habitat conversion and often include restoration, grazing limits, or other management provisions.

Public-access and recreation: Committee members noted conservation easements frequently limit public recreation on private land. Staff said the easement could include a right of first refusal that, if exercised later, could enable fee-simple purchase and potential public access; however staff also cautioned that immediate public access is unlikely for a conservation easement while the owner retains property rights.

Vote and next steps: After discussion the committee voted to forward the Barbee Ranch conservation‑easement proposal to the Board of County Commissioners. Staff said Florida Forever's funding calendar and recent state budget developments prompted an accelerated timeline; the county's participation would be contingent on easement language, final costs, and BOCC approval. Staff also advised the committee it would provide the draft easement and related materials for legal review before the BOCC considers any funding request.

Ending: Committee members asked staff to bring final easement language, appraisal and funding details back in time for county action if partners and the owner finalize terms; until then the committee's recommendation simply forwards the proposal for BOCC review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Environmental Lands Oversight Committee Meeting - June 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Martin County staff presented a proposed conservation easement on the Barbee (Barbie) Ranch, telling the Environmental Lands Oversight Committee the project could count toward the state's contribution to a CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) component; the committee voted to forward the item to the Board of County Commissioners.","taxTitle","Martin County, Florida","taxId",12775,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6184413,"Martin County committee recommends Palmar settlement parcels for county acquisition",1083,1691000,2774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5090865-076cfdc45520258de1e5145246f7efa6&start=1691&end=2774","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5090865-076cfdc45520258de1e5145246f7efa6/thumbnail_1691000.jpg","/articles/6184413/Martin-County/Florida/Martin-County-committee-recommends-Palmar-settlement-parcels-for-county-acquisition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184413-be8b91367c19a4601632f89a12889e62/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159848&Signature=SmKgs2A2gsVxzedQU9Hy8iV64r03CbsolAh8xiUDHHFHpm-qS4TU4TIJdCSIPkj9h6OLMG7VsGfpr10evdN1J~B5s2DJLRzxAHrjMKIQXPBAaEJYdEXSgee10E-c7nvQWVzm8akMoFK-yMPPmO3pIX~-D0WjpxRKPAdbjtsnpGQNGud8tNEh7W5vUrFGX~B4xPwmAFdIAz8px9SjxgX2tGyzExdK3EOisG1sGtgkqNaJU2Re33YLYLjsu4~xt44b4uX7AP~veY6YwOpiT3SqTqvMqPL90EWENMTpwTLrO5xd87MdzwlzJeDIz0Kj0Fk0QHMZ8dFhxs4Usnpeh3Bnfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Martin County's Environmental Lands Oversight Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners consider acquisition of parcels in the Palmar settlement area after a staff presentation described a mix of land purchases and a swap that would enlarge the county's conservation holdings.

The committee was told by Michael Houston, senior project manager in the Martin County Environmental Resource Division, that the package on the table would result in a net increase of public acreage in the Palmar acquisition zone. \"So in total, we're actually gaining 2,107 acres while trading away 559 acres in the Chimney area. So our net increase is 1,548 acres,\" Houston said during the committee's presentation.

Committee members heard staff describe the Palmar area as a connecting corridor between Hungryland and the Corbett Wildlife Management Area and as containing high-quality wetland systems and headwaters to the Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River. John Vale, environmental resource administrator, told the panel that tax revenues collected for the program totaled about $6,600,000 through April, and that reporting on receipts runs about three months behind the Department of Revenue figures.

Why it matters: The Palmar settlement would expand contiguous public lands in one of Martin County's important wetland and recharge areas, aiding hydrology and habitat connectivity. Staff said the package also leverages outside partners: the South Florida Water Management District is acquiring about 600 acres for roughly $11.5 million and Martin County is acquiring roughly 380 acres for about $7.3 million at the figures presented to the committee.

Details of the transaction and constraints: Staff described the settlement as a mix of a land swap and purchase. As Houston explained, the swap is structured so that \"for every 2 acres that Biman by Land gives us, we give them 1 acre of ours,\" which leaves parcels that must be purchased at roughly $19,000 an acre in the negotiation summary provided to the committee. Staff said Martin County will also hold a right of first refusal on certain parcels that come back onto the market under financing arrangements, again at the $19,000-per-acre figure as presented.

Committee concerns and management questions: Members raised several management questions before the recommendation vote. They noted that the Palmar area has a checkerboard of private and public ownership that complicates on-the-ground management and enforcement, especially to address illegal off‑road vehicle use. Houston acknowledged those concerns and said that acquiring larger blocks makes enforcement and restoration easier; he also mentioned an existing enforcement relationship with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Committee members also pressed staff on restoration and maintenance funding. Vale and Houston told the panel that under the referendum and the implementing ordinance a minimum of 5% of sales tax revenue is available for land maintenance and restoration work; staff said they would seek legal guidance before interpreting whether the 5% is strictly a floor or could be increased by commission action.

Process notes: The committee followed the scoring procedure staff provided: members received scoring sheets and applied a 10‑category weighting system to rank parcels provisionally. After discussion and public comment, the committee handed completed score sheets to staff for tabulation. The committee then took a formal vote recommending the Palmar package be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for final action; the roll-call-style vote recorded committee members Dan Brady, Tom Campenny, Vicky Davis, David Hafner, Beth Kavinsky, John Keller, Merrick Matheson, Scott Kern Turnbull, and Jim Stenacker as voting to recommend the property.

Next steps: Staff said the committee's recommendation will be transmitted to the Board of County Commissioners. Further due-diligence steps — title work and negotiations required before any acquisition or swap closes — remain to be completed. Staff also said the county will present additional Palmar parcels for future ranking and possible acquisition if the commission wishes to proceed beyond the parcels discussed at this meeting.

Ending: Committee members emphasized the relative urgency of the Palmar settlement while noting follow-up work to finalize titles, confirm the settlement terms, and coordinate restoration and enforcement activities if acquisitions proceed.","Martin County staff told the Environmental Lands Oversight Committee the Palmar settlement would add roughly 1,548 net acres to public ownership through a combination of purchases and a 2:1 land swap; the committee voted unanimously to recommend the Palmar parcels to the Board of County Commissioners for further action.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee recommends Barbee Ranch conservation easement; Florida Forever seeking state match

Martin County committee recommends Palmar settlement parcels for county acquisition