Agenda 06/11/2024 Item #16B15 (County Manager or designee to secure funding for the purchase of the Seminole Gulf Rail Line right-of-way from north of Wiggins Pass Road to the Lee County Line)SEE REVERSE SIDE
Proposed Agenda Changes
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
June 1, 2024
Item 10B to be heard at 9:30: Recommendation to adopt the attached Resolution in opposition to Amendment 4
titled as an Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion, which if enacted would amend the
Florida Constitution to greatly enhance abortions in Florida. (Commissioner Hall’s Request)
Continue item 16E1 to the June 25, 2024, BCC Meeting: Recommendation to approve and authorize the
Chairman to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Collier County and MHP Bembridge, LLC, to
further affordable housing initiatives through a $893,826.24 impact fee loan; authorize using Federal State and
Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to reimburse the Affordable Workforce Housing (1075) fund in the amount of
$893,826.24; authorize all associated Budget Amendments; and authorize the Chairman to execute all related loan
documents. (Fiscal Impact $893,826.24, Fund 1075) (Staff’s Request)
Move item 17A to 9B: This item requires the Commission members to provide ex-parte disclosure. Should a
hearing be held on this item, all participants are required to be sworn in. Recommendation to approve an Ordinance
rezoning a 4.86± acre property located at 135 Price Street from the Rural Agricultural (A) Zoning District to the
Residential Single Family-2 (RSF-2) Zoning District to allow up to three single-family dwelling units in Section 4,
Township 51 South, Range 26 East, Collier County, Florida. [PL20220002704] (Commissioner LoCastro’s
Request)
Move item 16B15 to 11G: Recommendation to authorize the County Manager or designee to provide $5,333.33 to
the Trust for Public Lands for preparation of a grant application for the acquisition of the Seminole Gulf Rail Line
and to pledge up to $241,611 toward the local match for the grant. (Commissioner Hall’s Request)
Notes: Item 9A should be listed with District 2 rather than District 4.
TIME CERTAIN ITEMS:
Item 10A to be heard prior to item 4: Proclamations: Resolution naming the helipad located at the Collier
County Sheriff’s Office District 8 Substation in Immokalee the “Larry H. Ray, LTC (ret) US Army Helipad.
Item 10B to be heard at 9:30: Resolution in opposition to Amendment 4 titled as an Amendment to Limit
Government Interference with Abortion.
6/14/2024 2:44 PM
06/11/2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to authorize the County Manager or designee to provide $5,333.33 to the Trust for Public
Lands for preparation of a grant application for the acquisition of the Seminole Gulf Rail Line and to pledge
up to $241,611 toward the local match for the grant.
OBJECTIVE: To secure funding to purchase the Seminole Gulf Rail Line (SGRL) right -of-way from north of
Wiggins Pass Road to the Lee County Line.
CONSIDERATIONS: In May 2020, the County Manager’s Office was approached by the Trust for Public Lands
(TPL) to begin exploring the acquisition of the SGRL from north of Wiggins Pass Road to Alico Road in
coordination with the City of Bonita Springs & the Village of Estero. The intended use of the corridor is for a
passive-recreation trail. Approximately 0.75 miles +/- of the railroad corridor is immediately adjacent to
Conservation Collier lands (Railhead Preserve), with nearly .4 of a mile bifurcating the Preserve. In addition, a
short section will facilitate the necessary roadway crossing for the extension of Veterans Memorial Boulevard. In
July 2020, TPL requested the County to provide approximately $11,500 toward the cost of the corridor appraisal.
This was the cost of the appraisal ($68,000) split between six entities, former County Manager Leo Ochs,
authorized the participation. At the October 27, 2020, Board meeting, County Manager Ochs provided an update to
the Board that the County Manager’s staff was working with the Village of Estero, City of Bonita Springs & Lee
County in a joint effort facilitated by the TPL to attempt to acquire the railroad right -of-way. Appraisals were
received, and the TPL attempted to negotiate an acceptable purchase price with the SGRL. However, at that time,
they were unable to come to an agreement and negotiations stalled. In early 2024, the TPL was able to place the
corridor from north of Wiggins Pass Road to Alico Road under contract for $82M with a closing timeframe no later
than March 2026. The corridor is intended to be railbanked to preserve the opportunity for future rail use. The TPL
made a presentation to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Board in April 2024, requesting the corridor
be placed on the MPO priority list as well as support for future funding requests, which was unanimously approved.
The TPL is beginning to pursue multiple state and federal funding opportunities, many of which will require a
match of the potential grant award. Match requirements for most federal funds are 20% of the grant request. The
TPL is currently pursuing an Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) grant in the amount
of $12M, which will require a $2.4M local match. The total grant preparation costs are anticipated to be $32,000
and will be split equally among participating members (Lee County, Lee MPO, Village of Estero, City of Bonita
Springs & TPL). The TPL is seeking a contribution of $5,333.33 from Collier County for the grant application
preparation. Lee County will be the applicant for the grant application.
The subject of the required match was discussed in a recent City of Bonita Springs Council meeting. One council
member suggested that the match should be split equally by the four respective governmental entities that the
corridor traverses. There is currently no formal agreement between the parties with regard to match or potential
grant disbursements. In the discussions that TPL has had with Collier County staff it is understood that any grant
award would be utilized to “buy down” the per-mile cost of the corridor. Therefore, it is staff’s position that any
match should be split in a similar manner. Below, please find a breakdown of the mileage per area and the
associated grant match for the ATIIP application:
Segment Length (miles) % of Total Length Portion of Match
Unincorporated Lee County 2.3 15.4362 $370,470
Village of Estero 5.3 35.5705 $853,691
City of Bonita Springs 5.8 38.9262 $934,228
Collier County 1.5 10.0671 $241,611
Totals 14.9 100.00% $2,400,000
By allocating the match on a percentage of the total corridor mileage, if the grant is awarded it is expected Collier
County’s portion of the award would be $1,208,052.
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Should the railroad corridor be included in an upcoming targeted protection area, it would then be eligible for
Conservation Collier acquisition funds. The corridor would facilitate the connection between other off -site private
preserves with the already acquired Conservation Collier lands, as well as connecting existing Conservation Collier
preserves.
If this grant is awarded, the ultimate local acquisition contribution could be funded utilizing multiple sources,
including, but not limited to, Road Impact Fees, Conservation Collier Acquisition funds, or the General Fund. Per
discussions with TPL, the lump sum match amount would not be remitted until Spring 2026 when the property
acquisition would occur.
This item is consistent with the Collier County Strategic Plan objective to design and maintain an effective
transportation system to reduce traffic congestion and improve the mobility of our residents and visitors.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds in the amount of $5,333.33 are available within the Growth Management
Transportation Capital Fund (3081), Project 60118 for grant application development. The source of funds is
transfers from the General Fund and the Unincorporated General fund. If the grant is awarded, a subsequent Board
action will brought back for approval and a budget amendment will be required for the County's determined share
of the required local grant match up to $241,611. Potential sources of grant match include Conservation Collier
funds, Road Impact Fees, Gas Tax and general fund.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: These improvements are consistent with the Growth Management Plan
Transportation Element.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney, raises no legal issues at this
time and requires majority vote for approval. -JAK
RECOMMENDATION: To authorize the County Manager or designee to provide $5,333.33 for grant application
preparation and a pledge of up to $241,611 toward local match for a grant to acquire the Seminole Gulf Rail Line.
Prepared by: Trinity Scott, Transportation Management Services Department Head
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06/11/2024
COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 16.B.15
Doc ID: 29037
Item Summary: Recommendation to authorize the County Manager or designee to provide $5,333.33 to the Trust
for Public Lands for preparation of a grant application for the acquisition of the Seminole Gulf Rail Line and to
pledge up to $241,611 toward the local match for the grant.
Meeting Date: 06/11/2024
Prepared by:
Title: Executive Secretary – Operations & Regulatory Management
Name: Jeanne Marcella
05/28/2024 1:30 PM
Submitted by:
Title: Department Head – Transportation Management Services Department
Name: Trinity Scott
05/28/2024 1:30 PM
Approved By:
Review:
Transportation Management Services Department Jeanne Marcella Transportation Management Services
Department Completed 05/28/2024 1:30 PM
Road Maintenance Ellen Sheffey TMSD Reviewer Completed 05/28/2024 4:04 PM
Planning Commission Diane Lynch GMCDD Reviewer Completed 05/31/2024 5:17 PM
Transportation Management Services Department Trinity Scott Transportation Completed
06/03/2024 9:30 AM
Unknown Trinity Scott GMCDD Reviewer Skipped 06/03/2024 10:40 AM
Growth Management Community Development Department Trinity Scott GMCDD Reviewer Skipped
06/04/2024 5:25 PM
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 06/05/2024 8:30 AM
Office of Management and Budget Blanca Aquino Luque Level 3 OMB Gatekeeper Review Completed 06/05/2024 8:35 AM
Grants Therese Stanley OMB Reviewer Completed 06/05/2024 11:16 AM
Office of Management and Budget Christopher Johnson OMB Reviewer Completed 06/05/2024 1:59 PM
County Manager's Office Amy Patterson Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 06/05/2024 2:40 PM
Board of County Commissioners Geoffrey Willig Meeting Pending 06/11/2024 9:00 AM
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