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Lee County approves $10.53 million Conservation 2020 purchase in Buckingham
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved buying a 30‑acre Buckingham tract for $10,530,000 for the Conservation 2020 program, citing water‑quality and habitat benefits despite the purchase price exceeding some appraisals.
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously April 1 to approve acquisition proceedings for a 30‑acre tract near the southeast intersection of Staley Road and Orange River Road in the Buckingham area as part of the county’s Conservation 2020 program.
County lands manager Robert Clemens told commissioners the parcel scored 64 points in the program’s ranking, and “of those 64 points, 40 of them were for water quality betterment.” Clemens said staff recommended the purchase even though the board’s negotiated price of $10,530,000 exceeded one appraisal and was slightly higher than the other, citing time‑adjustments to comparables and additional ecological values.
Why it matters: staff and supporters said the site would protect runoff pathways into the Orange River and Caloosahatchee estuary, preserve upland and wetland habitat, and remove roughly 240 potential developable units that could otherwise increase local stormwater and water‑quality impacts. Commissioners said the water‑quality benefits were a key justification for approving a price above the highest appraisal on file.
Public reaction was mixed. Several Buckingham residents and community leaders urged approval. “We have the opportunity to save a piece of Southwest Florida paradise,” local realtor Lauren McIntyre told the board, adding that the parcel contains native plants, uplands, wetlands and the Strayhorn Drainage Way. Local resident Joyce DePana said she was “not against conservation” but questioned paying nearly $10.53 million for land that the current owner purchased about a decade earlier for a far lower amount and asked whether the county would preserve the land permanently.
Commissioners and staff responded in public discussion that Conservation 2020 acquisitions are county‑owned and that changes to a preserve’s use would require future board action and a land‑management plan. The county attorney explained that acquisitions under Conservation 2020 are titled to the county and would need board approval for any later change of use.
The board’s formal action authorized the county to proceed with the purchase and to use Conservation 2020 funds for the acquisition. Staff noted the transaction required a supermajority because the purchase price exceeded the appraisal; the board achieved the necessary votes.
Ending: Staff said they will return with final closing documents and the future land‑management plan required for 2020 properties.
