Agenda 01/13/2009 Item #16E14Agenda Item No. 16E14
January 13, 2009
Page 1 of 7
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to approve a resolution supporting full funding of the Florida
Forever Successor Program within the 2009 -2010 State budget.
OBJECTIVE: For the Board of County Commissioners to support by resolution the full funding
of the Florida Forever Program within the 2009 -2010 State budget.
CONSIDERATIONS: The Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution 2007 -87 on April
10, 2007, supporting additional funding for and creation of a successor program for Florida
Forever. Within the resolution, the Commission supported "...future funding allocated to Florida
Forever." This Resolution was sent to the Florida Legislature in 2007. As a result of
overwhelming support for reauthorization of the Florida Forever Program, Governor Crist signed
into law Senate Bill 542, which extends the Florida Forever program through 2020 at $300
million a year. The new law went into effect on July 1, 2008. However, the borrowing possible
under the reauthorized Florida Forever Program must be appropriated each and every year by
the Legislature.
Currently, the Florida Legislature is preparing to address a shortfall in the State budget,
potentially by underfunding various State Programs.
The Florida Forever Coalition, made up of dozens of organizations that support conservation,
environmental protection, and recreation needs across Florida, has urged Governor Crist to
include in his proposal State Budget for FY 2009 -2010 the approximately $10 million
appropriation for Florida Forever debt service and also urges the State Senate and State House
to back the appropriation necessary for Florida Forever borrowing. Florida Forever's $10 million
appropriation has great leveraging impact, enabling the State to borrow up to $300 million to
spend on land resources today, when many lands are available for purchase at a reduced cost.
At stake in Collier County is potential funding for acquisitions within the Corkscrew Regional
Ecosystem Watershed Project and the Mcllvane Marsh Project.
FISCAL IMPACT: Florida Forever Funding Recipients ($300 million each Fiscal Year) include a
number of programs and agencies that benefit Southwest Florida and Collier County, including:
• Division of State Lands $105 Million
• Division of Recreation and Parks $4.5 million
• Rails to Trails $4.5 million
• Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program ( FRDAP ) $6 million
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) $4.5 million
• Department of Community Affairs - Florida Communities Trust (FCT) $66 million
• Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Forestry $4.5 million
Funding is also provided for Water Management Districts. Of a total of $105 million distributed
to all five Water Management Districts, the South Florida Water Management District ( SFWMD)
receives $36,750,000.
Between 2000 and 2007, Collier County has received more than $20.5 million in Florida Forever
funding through just two of its funding recipient programs, FCT and FRDAP. Certainly,
additional Florida Forever funding has also reached Collier County though the SFWMD and the
FFWCC.
Agenda Item No. 1oE14
January 13, 2009
Page 2 of 7
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: Lands purchased or protected under various state
programs receiving Florida Forever funding assist Collier County in meeting its growth
management goals, particularly in sustainability and quality of life.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: The Resolution has been signed for form and legal sufficiency.
This item is not quasi - judicial, and as such ex parte disclosure is not required. This item
requires a majority vote only. - JAB
RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff is recommending that the Board of County Commissioners sign
the attached resolution supporting full funding for the Florida Forever Program within the 2009 -
?n10 Stare budget,
PREPARED BY: Alexandra J. Sulecki, Coordinator, Conservation Collier Program, Department
of Facilities Management
Agenda Item No. 16E14
January 13, 2009
Page 3 of 7
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
SUPPORTING FULL FUNDING ALLOCATION WITHIN
THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE FLORIDA FOREVER
SUCCESSOR PROGRAM.
WHEREAS, the Florida Forever program and its predecessor Preservation 2000 program
have immeasurably contributed to environmental health, quality of life, recreation, and
sustainability in Florida for this and future generations, and
WHEREAS, Florida Forever has acquired over one million acres throughout Florida
since 2000 and allocates $300 million annually to purchase and restore environmentally sensitive
and outdoor recreation lands through numerous successful partnerships with cities, counties,
state agencies, water management districts, nonprofit organizations, private landowners, and
others in achieving its conservation purposes, and
WHEREAS, Florida Forever produces benefits that include clean air and water; healthy
fisheries and wildlife habitat; enhanced water supply protection; and protection of open spaces
including greenways, recreational and park lands, forests, and water bodies, and
WHEREAS, Florida Forever, through the Florida Communities Trust, has assisted
Florida's cities and counties in protecting their cultural and historical resources, meeting the
challenges of growth management, directing development away from coastal high hazard areas
and floodplains; fostering a healthier lifestyle for Floridians; and provided recreational outdoor
experiences in both urban and rural settings, and
WHEREAS, Florida Forever has helped to save many of Florida's beaches, rivers, bays,
forests, coral reefs and estuaries that provide the foundation for Florida's $3 billion tourism
industry that attracts more than 70 million visitors each year, and
WHEREAS, more than 50 Florida local governments have enacted land acquisition
financing programs in the past decades, and these conservation programs serve to leverage
Florida Forever funding and increase the impact of State land conservation funding, and
WHEREAS, research by the Florida Forever Coalition has found that well in excess of
S10 billion in State funding is currently needed to purchase wildlife and wilderness areas, parks
and open space for our State's ecological sustainability and increasing human population, and
WHEREAS, a 2005 public opinion survey conducted by the Florida Forever Coalition
found that 78% of Florida's voters approve of the Florida Forever program, and
WHEREAS, Florida Forever has protected several ecologically important natural areas
within Collier County including Belle Meade and lands within the Corkscrew Regional
Ecosystem Watershed, and
4:aenda Item No. 16E14
January 13, 2009
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WHEREAS, Governor Crist has signed into law Senate Bill 542, which went into effect
on July 1, 2008, extending the Florida Forever program through 2020 at $300 million a year.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, AT ITS REGULAR MEETING
ASSEMBLED THIS _ DAY OF JANUARY, 2009:
1) That the Board of County Commissioners supported the State of Florida Legislature
in the creation and funding of a successor program to the Florida Forever program.
2) That the Board of County Commissioners supports full funding to launch Florida
Forever bonds in the current state budget as allocated by Senate bill 542 to Florida
Forever.
3) That the Chairman is authorized to send letters to the legislative delegation relaying
this resolution and advocating full funding for Florida Forever.
4) That this resolution shall be effective upon adoption.
ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
DWIGHT E. BROCK, CLERK OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
t
Approval as to form and legal Sufficiency:
Jenm r A. Bclpedio
Assistant Co unty At to m ey
CHAIR
Florida Forever is more than just a land acquisition
program —it is the state's blueprint for conservation
of our unique natural resources. Its goals include
restoration of damaged environmental systems; water
resource development and supply protection; increased
public access; public lands management and maintenance;
and increased protection of land by acquisition of
conservation easements.
Through the Florida Forever program (and the Preservation
2000 program before it), the state has allocated more than
$300 million in bonding authority annually since 1990 to
buy conservation land in every one of Florida's 67 counties.
In 2008, the Florida Legislature passed unanimously, and
Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law, a long -term
reauthorization of Florida Forever (SB 542). This was a great
achievement for the people of Florida. However, to fully
realize the promise of Florida Forever, the Legislature must
appropriate funding for Florida Forever bonding each and
every year.
Florida Forever's Ever - Growing
Nccds and Challenges
As Florida's natural and recreational lands continue to
disappear at an alarming rate, Florida Forever is falling
behind. The $300 million that the state invests in land
conservation annually through Florida Forever has not
increased in 19 years.
The Florida Forever Coalition has identified an additional
2 million acres that are necessary to protect Florida's
natural heritage. Many of these lands are on the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Forever
priority list, which is currently valued at more than $15
billion. An additional $4.3 billion is necessary for city and
county park departments to acquire the 120,000 acres
needed for future parks and recreational sites.
Florida Forever is needed to address the conservation,
environmental and recreational needs of today and
tomorrow. Opportunities still exist to protect the best of
Florida's remaining habitat and landscape -scale tracts of
land.
Loxahatchee River. )Jeff Ripple
Working for Florida Forever Today
Failure to invest now in Florida Forever will result in higher
expenditures for ecosystem services we currently use and
enjoy— expenditures due to the need to create alternative
water supplies, the loss of billions in revenue from tourism
and wildfire damages, and more. With a potent Florida
Forever program, much of Florida's lands and waters can be
protected on a large scale in the coming years.
The Florida Forever Coalition, a broad group of more
than 160 organizations dedicated to Florida's great land
protection program, has urged Governor Crist to include
in his FY 2009 -2010 state budget the approximately $10
million appropriation needed for Florida Forever debt
service.
We urge the Florida Senate and House to back the
appropriations necessary to launch Florida Forever
bonds that would generate $300 million in proceeds
for land acquisition under the Florida Forever program.
Florida Forever bonding makes good fiscal sense. Land
is a permanent asset that benefits current and future
Floridians. Florida Forever's appropriation leverages state
spending.
An appropriation of approximately $13.3 million in FY
2009 -2010 will enable the state to issue bonds that provide
$300 million to spend on precious land resources today.
Agen: a Item No. '67_14
January 13.2009
Paae S of 7
A rare benent to the current economic
downturn is that many priority Florida Forever
parcels are today available for purchase, some at a
reduced cost. This situation could change as the
market shifts.
Public funds spent acquiring private land will
stimulate local economies, which is why
Florida Forever has the support of county
qovernments throughout Florida.
The time for
Florida Forever funding is now.
Furple gailinule. Merrill P. Irvin
w
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Comcmancy
Page I of 1
Aaenva Item No. 16E14
January 13, 2009
Page 7 of 7
COLLIER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Item Number: 16E14
Item Summary: Recommendation to approve a resolution supporting full funding of the Florida Forever
Successor Program within the 2009 -2010 State budget.
Meeting Date: 1/13/2009 9.00.00 AM
Prepared By
Alexandra J. Sulecki
Senior Environmental Specialist
Date
Administrative Services
Facilities Management
12119/200810:33:37 AM
Approved By
Skip Camp, C.F.M.
Facilities Management Director
Date
Administrative Services
Facilities Management
12,721200812:39 PM
Approved By
Jeff Klatzkow
Assistant County Attorney
Date
County Attorney
County Attorney Office
1212312008 4:13 PM
Approved By
Len Golden Price
Administrative Services Administrator
Date
Administrative Services
Administrative Services Admin.
12124/2008 8:15 AM
.Approved By
Mark Isackson
Budget Analyst
Date
County Manager's Office
Office of Management d Budget
12125!2008 10:03 AM
Approved By
James V. Mudd
County Manager
Date
Board of County
Commissioners
County M,anagar's Offcca
.2; 29I2CG8 1.,:40 AM
file: / /C:AAaendaTest \Ecnort\121 - January' %2013% 202009 \16. %2000NSENT°i020AGENDA \... 1/7/2009