Commission directs pursuit of prioritized land purchases to protect floodplains and habitat, taps $2.5M environmental fund

North Port’s natural resources division presented a prioritized land acquisition strategy on Dec. 9 that would use $2.5 million from the city’s environmental protection fund to buy ecologically valuable parcels, protect floodplain function and improve water quality.

Environmental planner Chanel Bosch outlined a scoring framework that rates parcels on ecological criteria — wetlands, floodplain function, habitat for species such as gopher tortoise and scrub jays, and neighborhood green space needs — to prioritize purchases. Staff proposed three options: (1) pursue the full prioritized list until funding is exhausted, (2) focus on the top 10 ranked parcels, or (3) restrict purchases to properties with direct flood mitigation value.

Bosch and other staff said the fund could be leveraged with state and federal grants (Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Forever) and noted that $2.5 million was included in the current year budget for land acquisition. Commissioners asked about compatibility with economic development in activity centers and about the need to prioritize parcels with stormwater mitigation value; staff said parcel screening had excluded lands already slated for development and that the scorecard weighs floodplain and wetland function.

After discussion about stormwater priorities and partnerships with conservation groups, the commission directed the city manager to pursue Option 1 — acquiring parcels by priority ranking and seller availability — and to begin outreach and appraisals. The motion passed 5–0.