Council approves purchase of 356 acres; debate flares over motocross, Volusia Forever and ECHO funding

The Volusia County Council unanimously approved a purchase agreement on April 15 to acquire 356 acres from Volusia 44 Properties for conservation and outdoor motorized recreation, but the approval followed more than two hours of staff presentations, council questions and public comment about whether any motorized track — including motocross — belongs in the county’s Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Brad Burball, Volusia County director of Community Services, described the property as a mix of already-cleared uplands and adjacent wetlands that staff proposes to conserve in part and develop in part for active recreation. He said about 80 acres of uplands are already disturbed and that the county would conserve roughly half the tract while keeping active recreation on the previously cleared portion. "We are having active recreation on a site that's already been cleared, and we're protecting and conserving the wetlands so they retain their natural function," Burball said.

Burball said the county expects to separate preserved wetlands from active uses with fencing and to produce a management plan that…