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Nature‑conservation plan draws support; commissioners ask staff to test roads‑only and roads‑plus‑conservation ballot language
Summary
Presentations from North Florida Land Trust and Trust for Public Land showed drinking water, wildlife corridors and agriculture as top conservation values and recommended referendum options. Commissioners asked staff to test a 1¢ sales surtax for pavement management with and without a small conservation allocation.
Two conservation groups gave commissioners an overview of a proposed local land‑conservation program and the options for funding it by voter referendum.
Ramesh Butch of the North Florida Land Trust summarized the county "greenprint," saying Citrus County scores high for conservation (about 36% conserved) and that public input and expert rankings put drinking water and wildlife corridors at the top of the county’s conservation values. "Open space provides amenity value and increases taxable value," he told commissioners, noting the toolset used to prioritize parcels for acquisition.
Pegine/Paquine Hanrahan of the Trust for Public Land outlined how voter‑authorized funding typically works in Florida, described polling outcomes from comparable counties, and laid out options including a 1¢ local discretionary sales tax (shared with municipalities under Florida law), a millage increase, or bonds. Hanrahan said the group can test ballot language and public polling; she highlighted May 7 as a key deadline to submit a sales‑tax request to Tallahassee for a 2026 ballot.
Board direction: Commissioners asked staff to test two polling options: (a) a pavement‑management (roads) question only, and (b) pavement management plus a modest percentage (commissioners discussed 5% as a test case) dedicated to land conservation. Commissioner Jeff Kennard and others said they favored a narrow pavement focus or a small conservation share; Commissioner Holly Davis pressed to frame any ballot language in voter‑friendly terms that show how residents will benefit.
Why it matters: Commissioners emphasized the county’s limited discretionary funds and competing priorities; staff noted that a sales‑tax package could raise up to roughly $25 million per year at 1¢ depending on what the county includes. Trust for Public Land officials warned that design (oversight, audits, citizen committee) and clear ballot language are critical to voter trust and success.
What’s next: Staff will return with polling results testing both options and recommended ballot language options timed to the statutory deadlines for 2026 and 2028 referenda consideration.
