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Residents press council for clarity on Volusia Forever purchases, easements and proposed Deep Creek trailhead
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to pull item F (Volusia Forever/Deep Creek parcel) from the consent agenda and requested fuller staff presentations showing acreage, easements and restoration work. Council agreed to answer questions and confirmed some restoration work was complete; consent agenda otherwise passed.
Several residents asked the council to remove a Volusia Forever conservation item from the consent agenda and bring it back as a regular agenda item for fuller public explanation. Catherine Pante (speaker 14) and Connie Colby (speaker 28) said newly posted documents differed from earlier materials and asked for maps showing which acres were subject to easements, which were contiguous and how the general consent order tied to restoration commitments would be preserved.
Wendy Anderson (speaker 13) and other speakers expressed concern that buying conservation land and then trading or selling easements could allow uses not envisioned by voters. County staff responded that restoration work required by an earlier consent order had been completed and that the proposed conservation easement adds an additional layer of protection; staff said the easement also created mitigation credits to support a trailhead for the Longleaf Pine Preserve.
Multiple speakers asked for a future public meeting and clearer mapping. The council approved the remainder of the consent agenda after pulling and discussing item F; staff said they would provide additional maps and explanations if the item returns for fuller public consideration.
