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Commissioners approve two small land purchases to expand Rye Preserve buffer and Crane Park
Summary
The board approved purchase agreements to add acreage to Rye Preserve (buffer near historic cemetery) and to expand Crane Park along the Myakka River; both purchases were approved unanimously and county staff said the parcels will integrate into existing park and preserve management plans.
Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved two land purchases to expand local conservation and park footprints: a roughly 4-acre parcel adjacent to Rye Preserve that will buffer a historic cemetery and preserve trail connections, and a roughly 15-acre parcel adjoining Crane Park along the Myakka River.
Deborah Worth, Environmental Lands division manager, described the Rye Preserve parcel as forested land that provides a buffer to the Rye family cemetery and connects with an existing trail network. The county staff said the $335,000 purchase price falls between two independent appraisals and that the parcel will be managed under the preserve's existing stewardship plan.
The Crane Park addition is about 15 acres priced at $420,000; the board approved the county's purchase contract, an option agreement and assignment of the option. Staff said the tract includes higher, drier ground suitable for additional recreational amenities and will expand the county's public access along the Myakka River. Public Works and Parks staff had discussed vacating some right-of-way segments that bisect the property as part of the eventual park plan.
Why it matters: Both purchases expand publicly owned conservation or park areas, protect a historic cemetery and preserve public river access. Environmental lands staff said neither site requires major new management funding and both can be integrated into existing operations.
What's next: Staff will close the purchases, incorporate the parcels into preserve/park management schedules and return to the board for any capital planning or amenity changes.
