ELAPP STRATEGIC PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

JAN K. PLATT ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS ACQUISITION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM (ELAPP) - December 2014
About Jack Berlin

About Prizm Share
acquisition elapp county lands approved sites existing
JAN K. PLATT ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS ACQUISITION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM (ELAPP) - December 2014
About Jack Berlin

About Prizm Share
acquisition elapp county lands approved sites existing
JAN K. PLATT ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS ACQUISITION
AND PROTECTION PROGRAM (ELAPP)
STRATEGIC PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
DECEMBER 2014
The Hillsborough County Jan. K. Platt ELAP Program is recognized as one of the largest,
most  successful  land  acquisition  programs  in  the  southeastern  United  States,  having
acquired  over  61,500  acres  of  environmentally  sensitive  lands  since  the  programâ€™s
inception in 1987.  Individual preserves range from over 12,800 acres to less than 20
acres in size.  
 The purpose of this proposed ELAPP strategic plan is to outline the natural evolution of
the ELAP Program as the County selectively targets approved properties for acquisition
to enhance existing preserves, provide recreational trails, enhance public access, provide
educational  opportunities,  and,  perhaps  most  importantly,  promote  the  County  as  a
worldwide destination for ecotourism opportunities such as birding,  canoeing, fishing,
hiking, and biking.  Using short term commercial paper as a bridge between bond issues
could  provide  an  efficient  and timely  solution  to  immediate  and  short  term funding.
Until such time as the BOCC approves another bond issue, commercial paper would be
used to fund acquisitions for the next six to twelve months before the issuance of bonds.
In the absence of any single significant acquisition (such as a contract exceeding $10
million),  it  is  anticipated  that  each  issuance  would  be  between  $20 million  and $30
million to (1) refund the commercial paper and (2) fund acquisition for the next two to
three years.
The positive economic benefits of the ELAP Program cannot be overlooked.  While it is 
difficult to fully quantify the economic impact of the Program, we know that it: 1) has a 
positive impact on real estate values for homes adjacent to ELAPP sites; 2) results in 
lower flood insurance rates for County residents; and 3) provides increased opportunities 
for ecotourism throughout the County. There are currently a total of 122 public access 
points (25 of which are public parking areas) and 115 miles of trails located on ELAPP 
sites that provide recreational opportunities for both County residents and visitors.  All of 
the preserves offer resource-based recreation including hiking, camping, canoeing, and 
fishing.  In appropriate areas, the County has also partnered with non-profits to offer 
more intense recreation and installed equestrian trails, mountain bike trails, a BMX 
training facility, and a Radio Controlled Air Field.  The County has expanded recreational
opportunities on ELAPP sites each and every year since 2003.  At the State level, the 
economic benefits of ecotourism are well documented. For example, in 2006, the total 
spent on wildlife viewing in Florida was $1.23 billion, with a total economic effect of 
$5.2 billion. In addition, wildlife viewing creates over 51,000 jobs statewide, nearly as 
many as Walt Disney World alone.  
ELAPP:  Where have we been?
On March 3, 1987, a referendum providing for the collection of a .25 mill tax, for four
years, for the purchase or protection of environmentally sensitive lands was approved by
the voters of Hillsborough County. A subsequent referendum was approved in 1990 that
extended the tax for another 20 years.  
On November 4, 2008 Hillsborough County voters approved a third referendum (passed
with 79% of the voters voting in favor of the referendum) for the issuance of up to $200
million in bonds to continue acquiring land through the Jan K. Platt ELAPP.  Currently,
only $3.5 million of the initial $59 million bond issue from 2009 remains to fund land
acquisition.   This  leaves  the  program  one  or  two  acquisitions  away  from  depleting
existing funds and hence eliminating opportunities to apply for join acquisition funding
through the state and other partners. 
ELAPP:  Where are we now?
As of October 1, 2014, the program has acquired or participated in the preservation of
about 61,523 acres at a cost of approximately $258.6 million.   ELAPP has been very
successful in receiving joint acquisition funding, which has provided over $83.6 million
(or  approximately  32.33%)  toward  the  purchase  price  for  these  properties.  However,
since the State has either not funded or only provided very limited funding for Florida
Forever since 2008, the County has not been able to pursue acquisition funding from the
Southwest Florida Water Management District or grants from Florida Communities Trust,
both of which have provided the vast majority of joint funding in prior years.
ELAPP:  Where are we going?
On November 4, 2014, Florida voters passed Amendment One with approximately 75%
approval. This amendment provides State funding  to â€œacquire, restore, improve,
and manage conservation lands including wetlands and forests;  fish
and  wildlife  habitat;  lands  protecting  water  resources  and  drinking
water  sources,  including  the  Everglades,  and  the  water  quality  of
rivers, lakes, and streams; beaches and shores; outdoor recreational
lands; working farms and ranches; and historic or geologic sites, by
dedicating 33 percent of net revenues from the existing excise tax on
documents for 20 years.â€  The state revenue restricted to the purposes
specified in the amendment is estimated to be $648 million in Fiscal
Year  2015-16  and  is  forecasted  to  grow  to  $1.268  billion  by  the
twentieth year.
One question that is often asked is â€œhow much preserved land is enough?â€  While there is
no definitive answer, the more pertinent questions for the ELAP Program are â€œhow many
sites remain undeveloped, where are they located, and how should they be prioritized for
acquisition?â€ When prioritizing the current list of approved ELAPP sites, the following
criteria is used:
ï‚§ Identify critical upland wildlife corridors that are likely to be developed over the
next 2 â€“ 5 years, in particular those within or adjacent to the urban services area
boundary. These lands may be disturbed, undisturbed, or a combination of both.
ï‚§ Focus on those upland sites where riverine connections are either absent or not
substantial  enough to create  meaningful  wetland connections  between existing
ELAPP sites on their own.
ï‚§ Upland connections should have a variety of soil types to provide for maximum
habitat diversity, especially when restoration is necessary.
ï‚§ Focus on expanding existing ELAPP preserves whenever possible, in particular,
adding upland areas that are likely to be developed within the next 2 â€“ 5 years.
Attachment  1  depicts  the  ELAPP Priority  Acquisition  Map  covering  approximately
27,000 acres of approved ELAPP sites that fit the above criteria, but are not yet acquired.
Ongoing (routine)  maintenance  and operating  expenses  are  not  allowed for  inclusion
under  bond  issues  and  are  funded  by  other  sources  (i.e.  Countywide  General  and
Phosphate Severance Tax revenues).  A portion of these costs may be offset by partnering
with  State  agencies  (e.g.  Southwest  Florida  Water  Management  District)  and  local
municipalities  (e.g.  City  of  Tampa)  with  which  the  County  already  has  established
management  agreements.  Amendment  One  may  be  another  source  of  management
funding for the County. Additionally, since the primary focus of future acquisitions will
be additions to existing sites (including inholdings), it is anticipated that the increase will
have  a  less  than  direct  relationship  to  the  existing  expenses  (i.e.  a  10% increase  in
acreage should have a less than 10% increase in operational costs).
While the Jan K. Platt ELAP Program has acquired properties that meet the criteria stated
previously, there are still many strategic, approved ELAPP sites in need of acquisition.
These approved sites serve as wildlife corridors, natural buffers to existing preserves, and
provide habitat for both statewide and globally imperiled plant and animal species.  In
addition,  they provide  for  stormwater  retention,  clean  air  and water,  recreational  and
educational experiences, and, if acquired through ELAPP, will leave a long-lasting legacy
for future generations to experience natural Florida.
                       ELAPP Acquistion Priority List - April 2014
       Priority by Environmental Significance and/or Endangerment by Development
APPROVED SITE ACRES RANKING
Active Projects
Triple Creek Ranch 226 B
Balm Scrub Addition 1,816 A
Little Manatee Corridor 120 A
Agricultural Buffers (BBS and LM Corridor) 3,604 N/A
Fish Hawk 262 A
Alafia River South Prong 621 B
Upper Little Manatee River - West 169 A
Cockroach Bay 150 A
Brooker Creek Buffer Addition 425 A
Cypress Creek Preserve 508 A
Cone Ranch Addition 3,600 B
Upper Little Manatee River Addition 607 A
Alderman's Ford Preserve 629 A
Cockroach and Piney Point Creek 306 A
Alafia River North Prong 1,927 B
Bahia Beach Addition 80 B
Wimauma Scrub 55 A
Brooker Creek Headwaters 619 A
15,724
Special Acquisitions
Blackwater Creek (f.k.a. Two Rivers Ranch) 9,995 A
Lake Rogers 500 B
Lake Park 600 B
Lithia Springs 160 SUSPENDED
Buckhorn Springs 150 SUSPENDED
11,405
Total Priority Acreage - 27,129 acres
*  Timeline for acquisition is dependent upon a variety of factors including market conditions, willing sellers,
and availability of funds.