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Putnam County authorizes negotiation to buy Rayonier land for wastewater expansion
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners authorized staff to negotiate terms and perform a 90‑day due‑diligence review for purchase of roughly 75 acres from Rayonier to expand the East Palatka wastewater facility; final purchase would require a later board approval and is subject to appraisal and further studies.
The Putnam County Board of County Commissioners on May 13 authorized county staff to negotiate a purchase and sale agreement and begin due‑diligence studies on a proposed purchase of roughly 75 acres from Rayonier to expand the county wastewater treatment facility in the East Palatka area.
County staff said the purchase would give the county room for land‑application (spray field) or other low‑impact uses and provide space for future expansion. Michael Grimes, county staff, told the board the wastewater plant is “currently limited to 300,000 gallons a day,” and recent connections and planned septic‑to‑sewer conversions will push demand toward capacity.
Why it matters: the county has limited high‑ground property near the existing plant, and staff said a new land‑application area would reduce nutrient loads to rivers and provide operational redundancy if the plant reaches full capacity. Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives — reuse lines, sports or park uses for portions of the parcel, and preserving buffer areas to reduce impacts on neighbors.
Board action and next steps: the motion authorized staff to negotiate terms, order surveys and environmental studies (Phase I), and obtain an appraisal, with a 90‑day due‑diligence period and returning any purchase and sale agreement to the commission for approval. The motion passed on a voice vote.
Key details discussed: staff said the parcel is contiguous to the plant on two sides and that about 50 acres under an existing Florida Power & Light easement may be usable; Scott Knowles, county engineering, estimated about 75 acres would be sufficient for initial land‑application needs, with additional acreage retained for buffering or future uses such as park space or sports fields. Staff also said the county would seek a joint‑use agreement with FPL for work under power lines and would preserve ingress/egress access for Rayonier where required.
Public comment and concerns: an attorney for an adjoining property owner, Don Holmes, asked the board to continue the purchase authorization so neighbors could gather expert analysis and raised concerns about notice and potential impacts to property value and enjoyment. Commissioners and staff said the transaction would include standard due diligence and would return to the board before any binding purchase is completed. Staff also noted the purchase terms provided by Rayonier are subject to senior management approval by the seller and to an appraisal.
What the board approved: authorization to proceed with negotiation and studies only; any final purchase and sale agreement and closing would require subsequent board approval. Staff said the due‑diligence step will include surveys, a Phase I environmental site assessment, and confirmation of any title or mineral‑rights reservations the seller maintains.
