Local group urges purchase of at‑risk riverlands as Martin County sales tax starts to fund land conservation

Greg Braun, a consultant with the conservation initiative, told the Town of Jupiter Council that his group is working to buy private parcels along the Loxahatchee River before they are developed and converted to uses that harm hydrology and habitat. “If you drive down Bridal Road, you see for sale sign, for sale sign, for sale sign, and then notice of proposed development,” Braun said. “Our initiative is to go in before those get turned into some sort of development and purchase them for conservation.”

The project’s stated priorities include restoring natural hydrology, preventing urban sprawl and reconnecting parcels to state parks and regional water‑management projects. Braun said the initiative has raised private donations to acquire three tracts so far: a two‑mile stretch on the north side of Bridge Road (closed October 2021), a roughly 20‑acre tract to the west, and a second 20‑acre parcel for which the group is fundraising and that abuts Jonathan Dickinson State Park.

Why it matters: Braun told the council that keeping and restoring wetlands on those parcels would slow runoff, increase percolation to groundwater and reduce nutrient loads entering creeks and the river. He said the group’s interventions could also reduce saltwater intrusion by restoring a more natural wetland hydrograph.

Braun said the Conservation Fund, a nationwide nonprofit, is acting as the fiscal agent for tax‑deductible donations. He described past coordination with state and regional partners and noted that private donations alone will not meet the largest acquisition costs: “We have been able to raise a couple million dollars but some of these properties are tens of millions of dollars and we're never going to be able to raise those in the private sector.”

Funding and matching sources: Braun told the council that Martin County voters approved a half‑cent sales tax for 10 years, referred to in the meeting as the Martin County Forever Land Conservation Initiative, that the speaker said is expected to raise about $183,000,000 over 10 years. He said those county funds are likely to be matched by state programs (identified in the presentation as Florida Forever) and by the South Florida Water Management District’s projects tied to CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan). The presentation listed government endorsements and environmental nongovernmental organizations that have endorsed the effort.

Questions from the audience and councilors focused on the tax mechanism, state involvement, and the group’s campaign progress. One questioner asked if the county funding is a property tax; Braun answered that it is a half‑cent increase in the sales tax, effective January 1 (collected beginning about three months prior to the meeting) and that certain items such as medical supplies and food are exempt. Braun said the referendum passed with about “60.68%” of voters, as stated in the presentation.

On the state’s role, Braun said many parcels identified by the group fall inside unit management plan boundaries for Jonathan Dickinson and Atlantic Ridge state parks; some parcels do not and would instead require third‑party conservation easements or placement under a conservation nonprofit. He described expectations that Martin County will bond the sales tax revenue to allow immediate purchases rather than waiting for receipts over 10 years.

Fundraising status and campaign specifics: Braun said the group has raised roughly $800,000 to date toward a $3,000,000 campaign for the 20‑acre parcel adjoining Jonathan Dickinson State Park. He said one foundation has offered a matching pledge (if the group raises X dollars, the foundation will contribute Y dollars) but the group had not yet met a specific matching threshold; Braun said they need to reach $1,000,000 to trigger a particular grant pledge.

Council response and next steps: After the presentation, members of the public thanked the speaker and several councilors signaled support. A council member asked staff to prepare an endorsement; another said it should be processed as a resolution. The councilor who made that suggestion later said staff would bring the resolution back for formal consideration. Braun said the group would welcome the town’s endorsement and would add the town to the list of endorsing governmental entities.

Ending: Braun closed by offering to answer questions following the presentation. The council directed staff to place an endorsement resolution on a future agenda for formal action so the town can be added to the list of endorsers.