By Marvin G. Cortner

Editor

The Osceola County Commission today tabled authorizing the county manager to begin negotiations to purchase the 160-acre Live Oak Ranch in the St. Cloud area for the county's Environmental Lands Conservation Program.

The property, located east of Hickory Tree Road and south of US Highway 192 and accessed from Bullis Road, is owned by Live Oak Ranch Inc. Officers in the company, according to state records, are James H. and Betty L. Bauknight, of 5600 E. U.S. Highway 192, St. Cloud.

The market value of the land, according to county documents, was determined to be $8 million based on a November appraisal conducted by Pinel & Carpenter. The estimated cost to open the property within two years for public access would be about $250,000; the annual maintenance costs for the site would be about $10,000.

Issues causing the commission to continue the item included that the $50,000 per acre appraised value might be too high and that adequate comparables weren't used to determine the value; certain right of way/access issues still need to be addressed; whether property owners along a county road that would be improved to provide access to the site could be indemnified against property tax increases resulting from the improvement; and whether hydrilla control measures on Live Oak and Sardine lakes – namely restocking of grass carp – could be included in ongoing maintenance costs.

Osceola County established the Environmental Lands Conservation Program through a voter referendum in 2004 and adoption of an enabling ordinance. The program has a dedicated tax of up to .25 mils to acquire property for conservation and passive recreation, with 15 percent of the revenue set aside for maintenance. The county has about $11.5 million remaining in the program fund for acquisitions.

Purchases for the land program are recommended by the Land Conservation Advisory Board but ultimate approval comes from the commission. Live Oak Ranch was placed on the county's active acquisition list on Sept. 14, 2009, with the commission on May 3 agreeing to pursue the acquisition.

Both Gary Suhl and Daniel Blackford, advisory board members, said the ranch site is a good fit with the program but that they have concerns about the purchase price, the access and whether spending a large chunk of remaining funding on the property is prudent at this time.

Commissioner Fred Hawkins Jr. said he has walked the ranch property, likes it but that the proposal was not properly vetted by the advisory board. He also said he would rather see property along Shingle Creek that is on the acquisition list come to the commission first.

“There's only so much money in the program,” he said.

Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington said the county is facing a possible 10 percent drop in assessed value, which would adversely program funding, making every decision to buy property that much more critical.

Property owners, through their attorney, encouraged the county to take more time on vetting the purchase, if needed, and to get another appraisal.

According to county documents, costs to open the property to the public once it is acquired would include the following: tables/grills, $10,000; restroom, $35,000; benches, trash cans, $1,800; fencing, $35,000; fishing pier, $50,000; canoe/kayak launch, $6,000; trail markers/signs, $4,500; two kiosks, $2,500; internal road/parking, $50,000; interpretive signs, $6,000; picnic shelter, $25,000; permits/engineering, $5,000; landscaping, $4,500; and contingency, $14,700.

The property includes stands of xeric oak scrub, upland hardwoods, narrow fringes of mixed wetland hardwoods and wet prairies, and approximately 1,680 feet of lakefront along Live Oak Lake and 2,760 feet of lakefront along Sardine Lake.

The site is located within one of two possible alignment alternatives for the State Road 417/Southern Connector road project, but the timetable for selection of a preferred alignment is not known at this time, and the construction of this arterial is not likely to occur for several years, according to county documents. However, if the alignment affecting this property were selected, the impact to this site’s native habitats and wildlife could be significant.

“Prescribed fire practices to manage this fire dependent system mosaic would be more difficult and possibly more expensive,” county documents state. “Also, a major roadway would restrict, if not prevent, wildlife movement throughout the entire property.”