The Volusia Forever advisory committee on Monday found two new properties eligible for the land‑conservation program and voted to place three projects on its A list for potential acquisition.

Tim Telfer, a Volusia County staff member, presented Little Hawk Creek as a fee‑simple application of roughly 818 acres adjacent to the Hart Island Conservation Area and the Plum Creek Conservation Easement. “Staff scored [Little Hawk Creek] at 16 out of 21, with the minimum required as a 10 out of 21,” Telfer said. The committee moved, seconded and approved a motion to find Little Hawk Creek eligible.

Hunter Falmer, the county’s chief of land management, introduced Lake Winona Road as an agricultural easement candidate of about 115 acres, noting it also sits in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. “This application is an ag easement… staff scored this 13 out of 19,” Falmer said. The committee approved eligibility for Lake Winona Road on a voice vote.

For rankings, the committee placed Botts Landing (62 acres), Wiregrass Inn Holding (10 acres) and Crude Ag LLC (approximately 261 acres) on the A list. A committee member asked staff to explore a joint approach with the county’s ECHO program for Botts Landing; staff clarified that Volusia Forever motions should address eligibility and ranking and that ECHO submissions follow a separate process. The committee voted to add Botts Landing to the A list and similarly approved Wiregrass Inn Holding and Crude Ag LLC, with staff noting potential matching funds from the St. Johns River Water Management District for Crude Ag.

Staff also provided a series of project updates: the McMillan Agricultural Easement has been approved for closing by the county council and the St. Johns River Water Management District and will proceed to survey and Phase I environmental steps; Tomoka Farms was presented to the acquisition and restoration council and may be considered by the governor and cabinet; Bennett Road easement work is underway with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and staff are proposing a 50/50 cost split; L’Feese is in appraisal; and Riverbend appraisals are underway with possible funding partners such as the St. Johns River Water Management District and Ducks Unlimited’s North American Wetlands grant programs.

No detailed roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript; motions passed by vocal assent during the meeting. The committee asked staff to prepare additional materials on program accomplishments and funding partnerships as projects move toward appraisal and council consideration.