Loading...
CCLAAC Minutes 04/02/2025 (Draft) April 2, 2025 1 MINUTES OF THE CONSERVATION COLLIER LAND ACQUISITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING Naples, Florida, April 2, 2025 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Advisory Committee in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00A.M. in REGULAR SESSION at the North Collier Regional Park Exhibit Hall, Naples Florida with the following members present: CHAIR: Michele Lenhard VICE CHAIR: Ron Clark Gary Bromley Rhys Watkins John Courtright Nick Pearson Austin Howell Oriany Brito Christopher Satter ALSO PRESENT: Summer Araque, Environmental Supervisor, Conservation Collier Jamie Cook, Director, Development Review Division Sally Ashkar, Assistant County Attorney Melissa Hennig, Environmental Specialist, I Matthew Denison, Environmental Manager April 2, 2025 2 1. Roll Call Chair Lenhard called the meeting to order at 9:07A.M. Roll call was taken and a quorum was established with 8 Members present. A. Approval of CCLAAC Members attending the meeting remotely All Members were present in the Conference Room 2. Approval of Agenda Mr. Howell moved to approve the Agenda. Second by Mr. Watkins. Carried unanimously 8 – 0. 3. Approval of the March 5, 2025 Meeting Minutes Mr. Howell moved to approve the minutes of the March 5, 2025 meeting as presented. Second by Mr. Satter. Carried unanimously 8 – 0. 4. Old Business A. Acquisition Updates - Current Acquisition Status report updated monthly in advance of CCLAAC meeting provided as part of meeting packet and under Acquisition News at www.conservationcollier.com for information purposes. The report will be updated monthly (last updated 3/25/25) including parcels the County has acquired to date, offers made by the County, pending acquisitions and those properties where the owner withdrew the application. Ms. Araque presented the PowerPoint “Conservation Collier Update – April 2, 2025” for information purposes: She noted: • Offers, purchase agreements, active acquisition lists, target letters for Dr. Robert H. Gore, III and Panther Walk Preserve and market studies for Red Maple Swamp and Winchester Head are on hold effective February 11, 2025. The acquisition delay includes properties in the multiparcel project areas. • Purchase agreements not impacted include Symphony Properties, LLC and Cypress Cove Landkeepers – Gore Nature Center. • Offers on hold include the Wilson property in North Belle Meade and an application in Winchester Head. • Purchase Agreements already scheduled for the 4/8/25 BCC meeting including HK Investment (Marco), Van Cleef (Marco), Golden Land Partners (North Belle Meade) and Hendrix House (I- 75 & Everglades) may be delayed depending on guidance from the Commissioners. • Staff is working on the purchase agreement with the owner of Wildcat Acres to resolve access issues. • Negotiations for the Wildflowerz property continue and the owner accepted the offer but wishes to remove 13 acres from the application which will need to be updated and re-heard by the Committee and BCC. Mr. Bromley arrived at 9:15am and a quorum of 9 was present. 5. New Business A. Initial Criteria Screening Reports (ICSRs) and Rankings Ms. Hennig presented the PowerPoint “Initial Criteria Screening Report for Review - April 2, 2025, for the following properties: 1. Dr. Robert H. Gore III Preserve TPMA a. Perez April 2, 2025 3 The parcel is 5.0 acres, has an assessed value of $70,000 and scored 284 out of 400. Staff recommends the parcels be placed on the A-List for acquisition. Mr. Howell moved to place the parcel on the A-List for acquisition. Second by Mr. Bromley. Carried unanimously 9 – 0. 2. Brewers Landing TPMA a. Dabreo The parcel is 2.73 acres, has an assessed value of $76,577 and scored 213 out of 400. Staff recommends the parcel be placed on the A-List for acquisition. The CREW Land & Water Trust submitted a letter of support for the purchase dated March 26, 2025 Mr. Howell moved to place the parcel on the A-List for acquisition. Second by Mr. Pearson. Carried unanimously 9 – 0. B. Conservation Collier 2024 Annual Report & Program Manual Annual Report Ms. Araque provided PowerPoint Conservation Collier Annual Report – April 2, 2025 for information purposes and the “Conservation Collier 2024 Annual Report” for consideration. She noted: • The Annual Report includes updated information on program milestones, Committee Membership, acquisitions, preserve management, finances, mitigation programs, grants and funding assistance, maps, volunteering and 2025 objectives. • There are 5,036 acres in the program at 25 locations with 13 preserves open to the public. • Fiscal Year 2024 saw the acquisition of 207 acres. • Management activities included prescribed burns, mowing, trail maintenance, treatment of exotics, wildlife surveys, etc. During Membership discussion it was noted the $228/acre for management costs includes County Staff and contractors. Mr. Clark moved to recommend the Board of County Commissioners approve the “Conservation Collier 2024 Annual Report” as presented by Staff. Second by Mr. Bromley. Carried unanimously 9 – 0. Program Manual Ms. Araque presented the “Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program- Program Manual Updated April 2025” for consideration. Discussion occurred between Staff and Committee Members on whether the funds borrowed from the program by the BCC should be noted in the manual. Staff noted the activity is referenced in the Annual Report and the manual is intended as a document for Staff for operating the program. Mr. Bromley moved to recommend the Board of County Commissioners approve the “Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program – Program Manual Updated April 2025” as presented by Staff. Second by Ms. Brito. Carried unanimously 9 – 0. April 2, 2025 4 6. Subcommittee Reports A. Lands Evaluation & Management – Chair, Ron Clark – Last meeting June 5, 2024 No update necessary. B. Outreach – Chair, John Courtright – Next meeting April 23, 2025 C. Ordinance Policy and Rules – Chair, Michele Lenhard - Last meeting December 18, 2023 No update necessary. 7. Coordinator Communications A. Upcoming Events Ms. Araque noted Staff will be present at Burrow Buddies Day at Mackle Park on Marco Island on April 5th, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s Earth Day event on April 12th and providing Earth Day presentations at the Community School of Naples on April 25th. B. BCC Items Related to Conservation Collier Ms. Araque provided the following updates: 1. Previously Heard a. 3/11/2025: No items on the BCC agenda b. 3/25/2025: Caracara budget amendment (passed) 2. Upcoming Ms. Araque noted the purchase agreements scheduled for 4/22 and 5/13 may be delayed pending the Board of County Commissioners review of the purchasing policy anticipated for the 4/8 meeting. a. 4/8/2025: Symphony Properties, LLC. (extend the due diligence period); Williams Farms (extend due diligence period) b. 4/22/2025: Purchase Agreements – Hendrix House (I75 TPMA), Golden Land Partners (NBM); CCLAAC January 2025 AAL; CCLAAC February 2025 AAL Funding assistance from FWC invasive plant management; Cypress Cove Landkeepers Dr Robert H Gore III (extend the due diligence period). c. 5/13/2025: Purchase Agreements – HK Investment and Van Cleef (Marco); CCLAAC March 2025 AAL 8. Chair/Committee Member Comments Ms. Lenhard noted, and the Committee agreed she will be circulating an email to the Board of County Commissioners regarding their discussion of the purchasing policy encouraging them to seek a quick resolution to the item. The Program’s acquisitions are on hold which negatively impacts the goal of expediting the process and may cause issues for parties interested in selling their land to the County. Mr. Pearson expressed concern changes in the appraisal process may create an environment for increased sales prices due to a more detailed analysis of the property including ground truthing. Ms. Araque noted wetlands are already considered in the appraisal process with tiered offers based on the percentage of wetlands on a particular parcel. When the offer is presented to the owner, they are notified of the wetland characteristics influencing the price and how to contact at the County for a wetland determination should they so desire. April 2, 2025 5 9. Public General Comments None 10. Staff Comments None 11. Next Meeting – May 7, 2025 There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the chair at 10:06AM. Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Advisory Committee _________________________________ Michele Lenhard, Chair These minutes approved by the Committee on________________ as presented_______ or as amended ___________.