Seminole County reviews top land‑conservation candidates, staff to pursue due diligence
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Summary
County staff presented 10 candidate properties to the Board of County Commissioners for the Seminole Forever conservation program, highlighted top-ranked sites and a roughly $10.7 million fund balance, and said staff will begin due diligence and pursue grant partnerships as directed by the board.
Seminole County officials on a November 2025 board meeting outlined next steps for Seminole Forever, the county’s locally administered land‑conservation program. Rick Durham, Parks and Recreation director, said the program’s review committee (ARC) scored 10 nominated properties against ordinance criteria and recommended advancing several to the next phase of review.
Durham told commissioners the county’s Seminole Forever fund currently has just over $10,700,000 available and that the ARC conducted site visits and two dozen publicly advertised meetings during the nomination cycle. “We had 9 applications from the public, plus one the county added for consideration,” Durham said, describing an internal scoring process that used a 50‑point scale based on the ordinance’s priorities.
Top candidates identified by staff include High Oaks (approximately 670 acres) and Lee Ranch (about 360 acres), properties Durham said are strong fits for the state’s Florida Forever program because of their size and location within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Other prioritized parcels included the Buchholtz property on State Road 419 in South Oviedo, De Arcos (roughly 200 acres on Lake Monroe), and an 80‑acre Lessard parcel adjacent to Mullet Lake Park. Durham emphasized that the price estimates cited in the presentation were preliminary "back‑of‑the‑napkin" figures provided by landowners and that all purchases would require standard due diligence.
Durham asked the board to authorize staff to move the top seven ranked properties forward for due diligence, grant coordination and potential acquisition planning. Commissioners commended the ARC’s work and expressed support for advancing applications and for seeking state grant partnerships (including the Florida Forever and Florida Communities Trust programs). One commissioner noted the ordinance allows preference for sellers who will accept less than appraised value.
No purchases were authorized at the meeting; Durham said any recommendation to buy a parcel would return to the board after surveys, appraisals and negotiations. Next steps stated in the presentation: staff will conduct due diligence on selected properties, pursue appropriate grant opportunities and present formal acquisition recommendations to the board for approval.
Why it matters: The Seminole Forever program is designed to preserve habitat, expand passive recreation and leverage state and federal conservation funds. Advancing items to due diligence preserves funding options while preserving the board’s role in final acquisition decisions.