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Commission adopts updated CLAM priority and eligible group ranking for county conservation projects
Summary
The Board adopted an updated Conservation Lands Acquisition and Management (CLAM) priority and eligible group ranking recommended by the CLAM Committee; staff said the program is evergreen and some parcels became noneligible because development began or landowners declined participation.
The Nassau County Board adopted an updated priority and eligible group ranking list for the Conservation Lands Acquisition and Management (CLAM) program on Jan. 21.
Dr. Klim, introduced as Nassau County's new conservation land manager, told commissioners the CLAM program (established by ordinance 2021-12) provides a framework to identify, evaluate, acquire and manage environmentally sensitive land for conservation and recreation. The program aggregates nominated parcels into project areas, ranks the project areas, and places them into three groups: priority, eligible and noneligible.
"We've had some strides in that acquisition process with examples like Piney Island as well as the Saint Mary's Conservation Easement," Dr. Klim said. He told the board some previously ranked parcels dropped into the noneligible group because development had begun on those parcels or landowners declined participation; he emphasized the program is "evergreen," with annual nomination and ranking cycles and the ability to add nominated parcels later.
Dr. Klim said the updated packet shows roughly 318 parcels across the program and a total of 30,785 acres currently included in project areas; he explained committee members gave scores that produced the new recommended ranking 1 through 25 and that the priority group contains 15 project areas while the eligible group contains 10.
Commissioners asked for clarification about committee scoring and apparent outlier votes on some projects; Dr. Klim said staff would look into the scoring variance. Commissioner Martin moved adoption of the resolution and the board approved it 4-0.
Next steps: staff and the CLAM Committee will continue outreach to landowners and pursue acquisitions consistent with the adopted ranking; Dr. Klim said staff can add nominated parcels or return to the board for reranking if necessary.
