County staff preview two proposed lagoon‑front conservation purchases; board to consider contracts in November

Indian River County parks and conservation staff on Oct. 21 presented two potential land acquisitions under the county’s environmental bond program and said both would return to the board for contract consideration in November.

The first parcel, a 19.6‑acre tract on Jungle Trail that abuts the Captain Forrester Hammock Preserve, has two appraisals reported in the agenda packet (roughly $5,655,000 and $5,000,000). According to staff, the county negotiated an agreed purchase price of $5,850,000. Staff described restoration opportunities on the parcel similar to the recently restored Jones’ Pier site, including creation of herbaceous wetlands and public recreation access, and noted the parcel’s adjacency to an existing maritime hammock preserve.

The second parcel is a 36.99‑acre property on Winter Beach 70th Street with recorded jurisdictional wetlands and upland hammock areas. Two appraisals returned $1,455,000 and $1,640,000; staff said negotiations produced a contract price of $1,590,000. Staff said the site offers opportunities for wetland restoration, trail connections and a possible kayak launch, and that the water management district owns adjacent lands that could support an integrated restoration approach.

Both purchases require two independent appraisals (per bond referendum rules) and will be reviewed by the Environmental Lands Acquisition Panel (ELAP); staff planned to bring both parcels back to the board at November meetings for formal consideration and, if approved, a 60‑day due diligence period and closing within 60 days thereafter.

Staff noted the bond program’s ranking criteria and scoring matrix and invited public input at ELAP; no purchase contracts were executed Oct. 21.