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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA REPORT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Recommendations Concerning: HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY’S JAN K. PLATT ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS ACQUISITION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM (ELAPP) 2022 ANNUAL REPORT CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT December 2022 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Staff Recommendation ................................................................. 3 Executive Summary...................................................................... 4 Report .......................................................................................... 7 Special Sites.................................................................................. 16 Essential Sites ............................................................................... 16 Important Sites.............................................................................. 18 Desirable Sites .............................................................................. 19 Merged Sites ................................................................................. 22 Acquired Parcels........................................................................... 23 Substantially Acquired Sites.......................................................... 26 Provisionally Suspended Sites ....................................................... 44 Suspended Sites ............................................................................ 46 Appendices .................................................................................. 54 ELAPP information and files are available at the main office of the Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department, 10940 McMullen Road, Riverview, FL 33569, telephone number (813) 672-7876. 3 STAFF RECOMMENDATION The Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department Staff and Parks, Recreation and Conservation Advisory Board recommend that the Board of County Commissioners accept the information presented in this 2022 Annual Report and approve the category listing and proposed methods for acquisition and protection. IMPLEMENTATION Upon approval of the Board of County Commissioners, the County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department’s ELAPP Acquisition Manager will proceed to protect and acquire sites according to the acquisition policy and available funds. The County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Departmen t’s Environmental Lands Management Section manages preserved properties according to adopted Site Management Plans. Additionally, (as applicable) all approved and new nominations have been ranked in accordance with the ELAPP Site Ranking and Acquisition policies that were amended as part of the 2018 ELAPP Annual Report. In accordance with these polices, 2019 was the last year for citizens to submit new ELAPP nominations to Conservation and Environmental Lands Management staff. Nominations subsequent to 2019 have been presented to the ELAPP General Committee before being reviewed. 4 2022 ANNUAL JAN K. PLATT ELAPP REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Referendum History. Through ordinances approved by the Board of County Commissioners which presented referendums to the citizens, Hillsborough County has established the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) to preserve environmentally significant properties. 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 in 1990 extended this tax for another 20 years. On November 4, 200 8, the voters approv ed a third referendum (79%) for the issuance of up to $200 million in bonds. ELAPP is a voluntary preservation program, and the County will not use eminent domain to acquire lands for preservation through ELAPP. Property does not become environmentally sensitive because it is approved for preservation through ELAPP; it is approved for preservation through ELAPP due to its environmental significance. Reviews and Sites. Since its inception, the ELAPP Teams and ELAPP General Committee have completed approximately 419 reviews and identified 139 sites as meeting the ELAPP criteria f or protection or acquisition. Fifty-seven sites are now considered as acquired. Prior Changes to Nomination Process. In recognition of the fiscal challenges facing the County regarding ongoing operating costs, including those for preservation lands, staff, working with the ELAPP General Committee, established a Strategic Plan to guide the program into the future. The objective of the Strategic Plan is to show how ELAPP can best achieve its preservation objectives while meeting the financial goals of the County. As part of this strategic plan, staff worked with the ELAPP General Committee to revise the site ranking policy to focus on the most critical properties. The nomination policy was also revised to provide one last opportunity for public nominations and staff changes to project boundaries due to the fact that after thirty years of nominations, very few new nominations meet the program criteria and the majority of additional acreage approved are boundary modifications to existing preserved lands. Submissions after 2019 have been presented to the ELAPP General Committee at a regular meeting to receive their support to be added to the program. Ranking and Acquisition Policy. Additionally, in an effort to provide more negotiating latitude on important properties, staff recommended that the acquisition policy address situations when going beyond appraised value is permitted. The revised Ranking and Acquisition Policy approved by the ELAPP General Committee was presented and approved by the Board as part of the 2018 ELAPP Annual Report. As part of the 2019 nominations, in accordance with the new Ranking and Acquisition Policies, all ELAPP sites that were approved for preservation and not ranked as Acquired or Suspended were reranked in accordance with the new policy as “Special”, “Essential”, “Important”, or “Desirable”. A summary list of the sites and their recommended ranking is provided at the end of this summary. 5 Site Statuses. In 2021, the classification of “Acquired” was revised to “Substantially Acquired” to reflect that nearly all “Acquired” sites still had parcels approved for preservation. Suspended sites were reclassified into two categories; Suspended (no longer eligible for preservation, primarily because they have been developed to the extent that they are no longer meet the program’s criteria, that the habitat has been fragmented to the point where cannot be effectively managed, and/or most of natural habitat is protected through existing regulations) and “Provisionally Suspended” (the owner of the core parcel is not willing to have their property considered for preservation at this time or staff was not able to negotiate the preservation of the “core parcel” of the project). While an “Agricultural Buffer” classification was established in 2011, all of these sites have been either developed (primarily with solar farms) or have been added to approved sites for acquisition and restoration. 2021 Nominations. There were no sites submitted for consideration in the 2021 cycle. Acquisition and Funding Update – Since Last Annual Report. From November 18, 2021 (the effective date of the last Annual Report) to September 30, 2022, the program preserved 3 parcels totaling 104 acres with a total purchase price of $4.195 million. Additionally, the program is under contract for $1.660 million as of the effective date of this report is the 78.97-acre Buzbee Parcel in the Upper Little Manatee River Corridor Preserve. Also, the program has closed on a $3.25 million reimbursement of the grant through the Gulf Consortium/RESTORE (funding from the Deepwater Horizon Settlement) for the Riverton acquisition and expects to close a $825,000 grant reimbursement from the Florida Communities Trust Program (FCT) for recent acquisitions in the Rocky Creek Greenway site. Cumulative Acquisition and Joint Funding Update. As of October 1, 2022, the program in total has acquired, contracted, or participated in the preservation of about 63,343 acres at a cost of approximately $308.125 million. ELAPP has been very successful in receiving joint acquisition funding, which has provided over $90.354 million (or approximately 29%) toward the purchase price of ELAPP properties. Bond and Ad Valorum Funds. As of October 1, 2022, ELAPP has approximately $24.8 million in bond proceeds available for acquisition, with an additional $32 million expected in FY 23, f or an approximate total of $57 million. Unallocated ad valorem funds associated with the 1990 referendum are currently budgeted for capital acquisition and management costs. Since annual allocations are no longer associated with the program and staff costs are funded through general revenue, this report will only provide a financial summary as of the end of the fiscal year, which will include the available bond funds and the balance of the bond authorization that has not been issued. Management and Restoration Efforts. Since the last Annual Report, the Environmental Lands Management Section successfully applied prescribed burns to 6,236 acres, installed 2.4 miles of security fencing, maintained approximately 458 miles of fire lanes, continued restoration and monitoring on 4,642 acres of imperiled habitat, as well as maintained 160 miles of hiking/equestrian/biking trails and 98 public access points, 31 of which include public parking areas. Additionally, the Environmental Lands Management Section oversaw the development of Pebble Park in Riverview. This passive park along the Alafia River provides a paved walking 6 trail, unpaved nature trail, pavilions and restrooms for people to enjoy. A future boardwalk and overlook will give access to amazing views along the river. 7 JAN K. PLATT ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS ACQUISITION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM (ELAPP) REPORT PURPOSE The Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) provides the funding, policies, and procedures for the County to identify, acquire, and manage environmentally significant lands for preservation and compatible recreation. ELAPP is not a regulatory program and properties approved for preservation through ELAPP do not become environmentally sensitive by being approved for the ELAP Program; properties are in the ELAP Program due to their environmental significance. ELAPP is a voluntary preservation program, and the County will not use eminent domain to acquire lands for preservation through ELAPP. BACKGROUND In the early 1980s, certain lands within Hillsborough County were identified for preservation under Florida’s Conservation and Recreational Lands (CARL) Program. Due to competition f or the limited state funds, there was not much progress on these acquisitions until the County offered to provide some of the funding toward the purchase of these lands. Based on the success of these projects, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) directed staff to investigate the potential of an environmental preservation program for Hillsborough County. Staff worked closely with volunteer citizens in reviewing options, investigated other local programs, and provided recommendations to the BOCC. On January 7, 1987, the BOCC approved an Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance that took effect upon the passage of a referendum. On March 3, 1987, the voters of Hillsborough County passed the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Referendum with 71% of the total votes f or a .25 mill tax over a four-year period “for the purpose of acquiring, preserving, and protecting endangered and environmentally sensitive lands, beaches, parks, and recreational lands in Hillsborough County”. This Ordinance was used as the foundation for the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP or ELAP Program). The ELAP Program was founded on the basis of citizen involvement. Volunteer citizens, as the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Committee, worked with staff to develop the nomination criteria (Appendix “A”), program policies, and procedures. This group eventually became known as the “ELAPP General Committee” and monitors the program, provides for program policies, and addresses special issues or requests. In order to proceed with the implementation of ELAPP Ordinances, based on the recommendations of the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Committee, and to ensure citizen involvement through the process with limited government agency guidance, the Committee’s 8 structure was extended to the key program function. Teams were established for the purpose of assessing nominations (Site Assessment Team). These citizens provided recommendations for the first eighteen sites that were approved for preservation through ELAPP in 1987. Staff with the County’s Real Estate Department initia ted actions to acquire properties. In an effort to expedite acquisition the position of ELAPP Acquisition Manager was created and the position was filled in February 1989. In response to the number of properties identified for preservation through ELAPP far exceeding the available funding, the BOCC adopted a second ordinance to present a second referendum to the voters. In 1990, the voters approved another ELAPP referendum with 73% of the total votes. This referendum authorized the County to issue bonds up to $100 million that would be retired by the levy of ad valorem taxes not to exceed .25 mill in any one year f or up to twenty years. This ordinance also designated a portion of such funding for site restoration and management and to permit the conveyance of such lands to other public agencies for the purpose of preservation, provided the proceeds were used to acquire additional lands or retire bonds. In 1993, the BOCC approved amendments to the two ELAPP ordinances to address special issues. Both ordinances were amended to permit the sale of property rights not essential to the preservation of the land. This allowed the sale of water rights, density credits, or other rights through the appropriate approval processes. As part of some acquisitions, certain property rights not needed to accomplish the preservation objective were included in the purchases, such as easements. The proceeds from these sales were to be returned to the ELAP Program to fund site management and additional acquisitions. These ordinances were also amended to permit the sale of property to a public or quasi-public entity for purposes other than preservation, as settlement of actual or potential litigation, provided there was evidence that no feasible alternative existed, that the property rights were essential to the project, that environmental concerns of the BOCC were sufficiently addressed , and that the proceeds were returned to the ELAP Program for acquisition and management. Both ordinances were also amended to affirm that voters approved funding for these acqu isitions in order to accomplish the preservation of environmentally sensitive lands for the benefit of the public, this being their highest public purpose. This affirmation helps ensure that these lands are preserved. Additionally, the ordinance for the $100 million referendum was amended to permit the sale of property identified as an “Acquisition of Convenience”. This permitted the County to sell property acquired for purposes other than preservation, provided the property was not required for preservation or part of the approved ELAPP site. Eligible property was to be identified before the County acquired title and, in the event the property was to be sold to a private party , the ELAPP General Committee was to be consulted regarding any restrictions on the property after the sale. All proceeds from the sale were to be returned to the ELAP Program to fund acquisition and site management activities. Copies of all ordinances and related amendments are included in Appendix “G”. 9 While the purpose of acquiring such lands will be for resource protection, all lands shall be open for public use and enjoyment to the extent that the County finds such use compatible with the preservation and protection of these lands. In an effort to stretch the local funding, the ELAP Program aggressively pursued other f unding sources. ELAPP was the first local government to do a joint acquisition with SWFWMD. Shortly before the approval of the second referendum in 1990, the state established Preservation 2000, which provided $300 million annual to a variety of State preservation programs. At the end of Preservation 2000, the State established the successor program, Florida Forever. Funds from Preservation 2000/Florida Forever are distributed to Florida Communities Trust [FCT] (originally with the Department of Community Affairs and currently with the Department of Environmental Protection), the Southwest Florida Water Management District [SWFWMD] (Save Our Rivers Program), and Florida Forever, the successor program to the Conservation and Recreational Lands (CARL) Program, as well as several other land preservation programs. The approval of Preservation 2000 and the successor program Florida Forever proved essential to the success of ELAPP. The vast majority of ELAPP acquisitions have been completed with some type of joint funding. Joint funding has also included mitigation from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and wetland mitigation through preservation for the Florida Department of Transportation. Unfortunately, in 2009 the State was experiencing financial challenges due to the severe economic downturn and since 2009, the Florida Legislature has either not funded, or provided very limited funding for Florida Forever-related programs. Without funding opportunities from Florida Forever, it is doubtful that any recent or upcoming acquisitions will have joint funding. Through the ELAP Program, the County has also cooperated with the City of Tampa, City of Temple Terrace, and Plant City for funding applications on ELAPP sites. Typically, ELAPP sites within these jurisdictions are also managed by the associated municipality. Except for agricultural buffers, the adopted ranking policy scores a site on eight factors (Appendix “B”). The majority of the factors are concerned with environmental characteristics of the site, but several factors address practical aspects. These factors include ease of acquisition, cost relative to size, and threat of development. Once all factors have been assessed, the s ite’s total score is determined. The score a site receives determines its classification. Each classification has a priority, but no site within that group is given priority over others within that group. The original policy was designed to permit multiple acquisition efforts and does not restrict negotiations but provides guidelines, so the program proceeds in a sensible and effective manner. Additionally, once a site has been classified, it is not re-ranked due to additional sites enterin g the program. A site can be re-ranked due to changing conditions, new information, or other factors that affect the site itself. There are currently 45 sites that have been ranked as “Suspended” due to the owners’ unwillingness to sell, the property being developed or altered, or other factors as detailed in the acquisition policy. ELAPP is strictly a voluntary program. It has been formerly established that ELAPP will not use the power of eminent domain to acquire property. 10 As relayed in the next section, after twenty-five years it was necessary for the program to change several policies to address the changes and challenges facing the County. RECENT MAJOR EVENTS In FY2009, the BOCC stopped assessing the balance of the .25 mill due to the fiscal limitations caused by a significant economic slowdown and other events, as well as the fiscal practicality of funding capital projects with funds from the County’s operating assessments. In an effort to establish an alternate funding source, the BOCC adopted an Ordinance to present a ref erendum to the voters of Hillsborough County. The purpose of this referendum was to allow for the issuance of up to $200 million in bonds for acquisition and management of ELAPP sites. Unlike prior referendums, there is no limitation on the millage and there is no limitation on the term to issue the bonds. The millage limitation was eliminated to address the requirements of the bond underwriters. The term limit was removed so that the bonds would be issued when the funds were needed. Due to the term limitation in the second referendum, it was not f inancially practical to issue bonds after 2000. There was also no limitation on the funding toward management or restoration. This Ordinance acknowledged that the bond proceeds could be spent on capital-related costs, such as initial fencing, initial fire lane installation, and restoration. The balance of the 2008 Ordinance essentially mirrored the prior ordinances as amended. The referendum from this Ordinance was presented to the voters on the November 4, 2008 General Election Ballot and passed with the approval of nearly 79% of the voters. This referendum had the highest number of voters of the three referendums and had the highest approval percentage. With the passage of this referendum and the issuance of the associated bonds, the ELAP Program will have the funding to continue preserving lands in Hillsborough County for many years. The BOCC issued a total of $59.43 million in 2009, of which a portion was capitalized interest, so approximately $56 million of bond proceeds were available for acquisition and other capital costs. On September 18, 2013, the Board voted to consider renaming ELAPP in honor of Jan K, Platt for her significant contributions to creating the program. This was unanimously supported by the ELAPP General committee at their meeting on September 23, 2013. On October 16, 2013, the Board adopted a resolution renaming ELAPP to the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program. In recognition of the fiscal challenges facing the County with ongoing operating costs, including those for preservation lands, staff worked with the ELAPP General Committee and executive staff to establish a Strategic Plan to guide the program into the future. The objective of the Strategic Plan is to show how ELAPP can best achieve its preservation objectives while meeting the financial goals of the County. The 2014 Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program Strategic Plan has been updated to include recommendations from the 2018 ELAPP Audit and the policy revisions outlined in this report. 11 In an effort to have the ELAPP ranking, and acquisition policies align with the ELAPP Strategic Plan, staff presented a recommendation to the ELAPP General Committee to review these policies, provided key elements that would be addressed, and provided certain elements that staff felt were necessary to improve the program’s performance. One element that staff recommended related to ending the annual nomination process. In recent years the program was receiving few, if any, qualified nominations. Additionally, there was no way to incorporate the objectives of the strategic plan in the review process. Under the policy provided in the 2018 ELAPP Annual report, 2019 was the last full assessment cycle and any future nominations will be presented to the ELAPP General Committee, by the property owner or authorized representative, to request a full assessment. In an effort to be more competitive in negotiations, the acquisition policy allows for going beyond appraised value for certain properties. While there was no documented policy on paying beyond appraised value, historically the program had never presented a contract to the Board that was above the highest appraised value. This policy provides for limited opportunities to go above appraised value. With the Board’s approval of the 2018 ELAPP Annual Report, the existing ELAPP policies were amended to reflect the policies provided in Appendix “E.” In 2021, the classification of “Acquired” was revised to “Substantially Acquired” to reflect that nearly all “Acquired” sites still had parcels approved for preservation. During 2018, the County’s Internal Auditor performed an audit of the ELAP Program. In Part 1 , the Audit Team reviewed processes and controls for the site acquisition and ongoing site maintenance activities. Due to a lack of sufficient data and record keeping controls, the Audit Team was unable to determine the resources necessary to maintain the ELAP Program. To identify these necessary resources, in Part 2 the County Internal Auditor contacted Barth Associates, Inc. to assist ELAPP management staff with establishing specific, measurable activities that provided sufficient maintenance resources, activity records, and corresponding financial data. With the 2009 bond issue essentially expended, in 2019 the Board issued bonds that provided $64.95 million for land acquisition and capital management costs. County Bond Staff have indicated that there is about $75.6 million still available under the 2008 referendum. LESS THAN FEE ACQUISITIONS AND AGRICULTURAL BUFFERS In an effort to help protect certain ELAPP preserves, as part of the revisions to the Less Than Fee Policy, the ELAPP General Committee recommended to the BOCC the use of conservation easements for the preservation of agricultural buffers adjacent to existing preserves. The principle is that for certain lands adjoining preserves, any type of agricultural use (row crop, grove, etc.) is preferred to residential development. The use of agricultural buffers was approved as part of the Less Than Fee Policy in the ELAPP 2008 Annual Report. In accordance with the Less Than Fee Policy, County staff presented five sites to the Site Selection Team as part of the 2010 nomination cycle, which were approved as Agricultural 12 Buffers and may be preserved as buffers to existing preserves in accordance with the Less Than Fee Policy With the importance of expanding existing preserves, several of the agricultural buffers have been reclassified and are approved for acquisition. Once acquired they will be restored. The remaining agricultural buffers have been developed with solar farms which effectively achieved the objectives of an Agricultural Buffer (single user with activities that do not impact the preserve). This classification was formally suspended as of the 2021 Annual Report. ACQUISITIONS AND FINANCIAL STATUS As indicated in prior Annual Reports, the program essentially received ad valorem funds for that portion of the ¼ mill associated with the 1990 referendum which were not required for debt service. It has been recommended that most of these funds will be kept for (i) acquisitions that cannot be funded through bond proceeds due to the conditions associated with tax exempt bonds; (ii) to fund capital costs that cannot be funded with bond proceeds; and (iii) as a reserve for future operating costs for the management of properties preserved through ELAPP until additional revenues are available. In FY2012, a portion of these funds were appropriated for the Lower Green Swamp Preserve (f.k.a. Cone Ranch), with approximately $2.1 million allocated for initial operating and staff costs, as well as $3 million allocated toward future restoration needs. The fiscal limitations and challenges facing the County, especially between 2009 and 2014, also impacted the ELAP Program. Decreased revenues have mandated prudence and caution regarding fiscal issues, including the impact of additional operating costs associated with new acquisitions. Currently, the primary focus has been targeting in-holdings and additions to existing preservation lands in an effort to limit increased operating costs. A Financial Status based on October 1, 2022, provides a financial summary of the current status of the program (“Where Are We Now”) and a summary of the bonds issued associated with the 2008 referendum, which are provided in Appendix “C.” As of October 1, 2022, the ELAP Program had approximately $24.9 million in bond proceeds available for acquisition and capital management costs,). An additional $32 million is expected in FY 23, for an approximate total of $57 million. As reflected in the chart below, Since the 2021 Annual Report, the following three parcels totaling 104.58 acres have been acquired at a cost of $4.195 million, and one parcel is under contract at a cost of $1.6 million totaling 78.97 acres. 13 As of October 1, 2022, the program has preserved or contracted on approximately 63,343 acres with a total purchase price of approximately $308.125 million. The County has received over $87.1 million in joint funding (or 28.9%). Since the Florida Legislature has not provided any substantive funding since 2009, there have been very few opportunities for joint funding of preservation sites. An application was submitted in late 2020 by the County to the Florida Communities Trust Program for the recent acquisitions in the Rocky Brushy Creek site, and the ELAP Program is expected to be reimbursed $825,000 for acquisitions costs. The County also has secured a RESTORE Grant for the Riverton Parcel and the County has been reimbursed $3.25 million of the $3.6 million purchase price. During FY2014, a statewide referendum was placed on the 2014 General Election Ballot to amend the Florida Constitution designating a portion of the documentary stamp tax revenue for land preservation for the next 20 years. This amendment was approved by nearly 75% of the voters. While the approval of this referendum provides the potential for joint f unding f rom the State for ELAPP acquisitions, as of October 1, 2022, the Legislature has appropriated only limited funding to programs that could fund land preservation in Hillsborough County. SITE MANAGEMENT A portion of the Countywide General fund, phosphate severance taxes, lease revenues, and restoration grants fund the Environmental Lands Management Section consisting of forty-seven permanent full-time members and three permanent part-time members. This section carries out a variety of land management activities that include site security, prescribed burning, exotic plant control, protected species recovery, and public access. Large-scale habitat restoration projects are being accomplished through partnerships with other local, state, and federal agencies. Since ACQUIRED PROJECT NAME PARCEL NAME/OWNER ORGINAL RANKING PURCHASE PRICE ACRES 1 Alafia North Prong Dumke B $595,000 20 2 Bahia Beach Restoration/Riverton South Bay CDD Holdings LLC B $3,137,000 73.7 3 Bahia Beach Restoration/Riverton ( South Bay Community Development District B $463,000 10.88 CONTRACT PENDING 1 Upper Little Manatee River (Est. 2023) Brooker Creek Buffer Preserve Addition Cecile Buzbee Farms, Inc. A $1,660,000 78.97 14 the last Annual Report, the Environmental Lands Management Section successfully applied prescribed burns to 6,236 acres, installed 2.4 miles of security fencing, maintained approximately 458 miles of fire lanes, continued restoration and monitoring on 4,642 acres of imperiled habitat, as well as maintained 160 miles of hiking/equestrian/biking trails and 98 public access points, 31 of which include public parking areas. Additionally, the Environmental Lands Management Section oversaw the development of Pebble Park in Riverview. This passive park along the Alafia River provides a paved walking trail, unpaved nature trail, pavilions and restrooms for people to enjoy. A future boardwalk and overlook will give access to amazing views along the river. 2022 NOMINATION CYCLE & ELAPP GENERAL COMMITTEE REVIEW At the 2022 Annual ELAPP General Committee Meeting, the Committee approved a transf er of property rights to the Water Resources Department for a proposed water transmission p ipeline over a 31.6-acre portion of the Balm Scrub ELAPP Site. In exchange for this internal conveyance of rights, the Water Resources Department has agreed to pay $1.557 million to cover the costs of the easement acquisition and habitat restoration for the preserve. Subsequently, at the October 6, 2022, board meeting, the Board of County Commissioners authorized staff to schedule a public hearing for consideration of the adoption of a resolution formally approving the transfer. The public hearing will likely be scheduled in early 2023. SITES RECOMMENDED FOR PRESERVATION THROUGH ELAPP The following list of sites is classified according to the ranking policy. All sites meet the established selection criteria and will be considered for acquisition or protection, although efforts will be concentrated on sites considered Special and Essential. The Parks, Recreation and Conservation Advisory Board previously reviewed and approved the site recommendations at their monthly meeting on November 10, 2022. 15 SUMMARY OF SITES (FY 2022) Special Sites Score Blackwater Creek Lower Green Swamp Addition (F.K.A Cone Ranch Addition) Essential Sites (Top Five scores) USF Preserve 62 Alafia North Prong 55 Little Manatee Corridor Addition 50 Brooker Creek Buffer Addition 41 Cockroach Creek Greenway 40 Important (Next Ten Highest Ranked) Balm Boyette Addition 38 Varn /Cone Ranch Greenway 35 Buckhorn Springs 35 Knights Griffin Property 32 McIntosh/Zack Tract 32 Walton Acquisitions FL LLC 30 Wimauma Scrub 29 Ekker Addition 27 Nye Park Addition 27 Baker Creek and Tributaries 26 Desirable Golden Aster Scrub/Kitchen Connection 24 Sydney Dover Trails 24 Cow House Creek 23 Lake Stemper 23 Old Morris Bridge Road 23 Pemberton Creek 23 Alafia River 19 Fish Hawk Park Portion 19 Simmons Hammock Greenway 18 Bullfrog Creek – Nundy 14 Georgetown 14 16 SPECIAL SITES BLACKWATER CREEK +/- 9500 ACRES Location: Land located in northeast Hillsborough County along Blackwater Creek and Hillsborough River from U.S. 301 to S.R. 39. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition. (See “Acquired Parcels”) CONE RANCH ADDITION +/- 3,600 ACRES Location: Land located in the extreme northeast corner of Hillsborough County adjacent to the County-owned Cone Ranch. (Note: The area of this site has been reduced to reflect the property conveyed to the County as part of an exchange with C.F. Industries, which was not associated with the ELAP Program.) Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition. ESSENTIAL SITES New Site NONE Sites Previously approved for Preservation USF FOREST PRESERVE +/- 610 ACRES [Score – 62] Location: The site is located on the north side of E Fletcher Ave, east N 46th ST, and west of Lettuce Lake Conservation Park Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. ALAFIA NORTH PRONG +/- 4,400 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) [Score – 55] Location: Along the north prong of the Alafia River, from Alderman’s Ford Park to the Polk County Line. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. At the request of Mosaic staff properties under their ownership were removed from the site. At such time that it is relayed that Mosaic is interested in pursuing negotiations on any portion of their property contiguous to preserved lands, the associated properties will be deemed added to the site and eligible for preservation. In conjunction with the Interlocal Agreement with 17 the Southwest Florida Water Management District staff will pursue joint funding if practical (See “Acquired Parcels”) LITTLE MANATEE RIVER CORRIDOR ADDITION +/- 2,630 ACRES [Score – 50] Location: West of Hobbs Road, south of the Little Manatee River Corridor site and north of the County Line. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. (See “Acquired Parcels”) BROOKER CREEK BUFFER ADDITION +/- 900 ACRES [Score – 41] Location: In Northwest Hillsborough County along north & east side of Patterson Road. Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition or protection of the site. (See “Acquired Parcels”) COCKROACH CREEK GREENWAY +/- 1,000 ACRES (f.k.a. Valroy Road) [Score – 40] Location: Original site (Valroy Road) included land south of Valroy Road, west of Interstate 75, and north of the Manatee County Line in southern Hillsborough County. The project boundary was modified in 1999 to include natural habitat greenways along creek systems and other areas connecting the original site to the wetlands of Cockroach Bay. In 2019 it was extended to include land along the west side of I-75 to the Little Manatee River Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition or protection of the site. (See ‘Acquired Parcels’) 18 IMPORTANT SITES New Site NONE Sites Previously Approved for Preservation BALM BOYETTE ADDITION +/- 197 ACRES [Score – 38] Location: North of County Road 672 and east of Balm Boyette Road Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition or protection of the site. VARN/CONE RANCH GREENWAY +/- 1,470 ACRES [Score – 35] Location: Located in portions of five sections, west of Highway 39, north of Knights- Griffin Road, and south of Bruton Road, in northeast Hillsborough County. Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition and/or protection. Use of Less Than Fee Techniques to comply with approved ELAPP policy. BUCKHORN SPRINGS +/- 146 ACRES [Score – 35] Location: South of Bloomingdale Avenue, east of Hwy 301, and west of Bell Shoals Road. Status: Mosaic has indicated that they are interested in preserving this property with a conservation easement. Staff is in initial negotiations regarding elements of the easement, which include public access. Based on Mosaic’s interest in working with the County this property has been reranked from Provisionally Suspended. KNIGHTS-GRIFFIN PROPERTY +/- 270 ACRES [Score – 32] Location: In Plant City between Knights Griffin Road and McGee Road. Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition or protection of the site. McINTOSH/ZACK TRACT +/- 860 ACRES [Score – 32] Location: Land southeast of the intersection of Knights-Griffin Road and S.R. 39 and associated land to the southeast within the Plant City limits. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the natural area as a core parcel. The balance of the site may be considered separate from the core parcel only with 19 an approved restoration plan. Site has been awarded a grant from the Florida Communities Trust through the City of Plant City. (See “Acquired Parcels”) WALTON ACQUISITIONS FL LLC +/- 546 ACRES [Score – 30] Location: Knights Griffin Road and Charlie Taylor Road Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition or protection of the site. WIMAUMA SCRUB +/- 55 ACRES [Score – 29] Location: Land located south of Lake Wimauma on Brigman Road and west of Westlake Road. Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition or protection of the site. EKKER ADDITION +/- 173 ACRES [Score – 27] Location: On the South bank of Bullfrog Creek West of the Ekker site, east of US 41 north of Symmes Road. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition. NYE PARK ADDITION +/- 73 ACRES [Score – 27] Location: Next to Nye Park north of Sunset Land and East of US 41. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site BAKER CREEK AND TRIBUTARIES +/- 900 ACRES [Score – 26] Location: Land containing portions of the floodplain of Baker Creek and several tributaries south of Lake Thonotosassa, including the original Lake Thonotosassa site. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition contingent upon approved restoration program. DESIRABLE SITES New Site NONE 20 Sites Previously approved for Preservation GOLDEN ASTER SCRUB/KITCHEN CONNECTION +/- 60 ACRES [Score – 24] (re-ranked from “Essential” due to site number limitations and will be highest ranked site in this classification) Location: West of the CSX Railroad Line and east of U.S. Hwy 41, south of Gibsonton. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition. SYDNEY DOVER TRAILS ADDITIONS +/- 186 ACRES [Score – 24] Location: North of SR 60 and east of Sydney Washer Road. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. COW HOUSE CREEK +/- 120 ACRES [Score – 23] Location: Along Cow House Creek, between the Hillsborough River and Interstate 75, just north of Fowler Avenue. Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition with a funded restoration plan. LAKE STEMPER NORTH +/- 35 ACRES [Score – 23] Location: South side of Sunset Lane and East of US 41 in Lutz to the north shore of Lake Stemper. Recommendation: Negotiate acquisition OLD MORRIS BRIDGE ROAD +/- 117 ACRES [Score – 23] Location: Land is located on Old Morris Bridge Road, east of Interstate 75 and south of Morris Bridge Road. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. (Note: This site now includes the 56-acre Gray Pines nomination.) PEMBERTON CREEK SITE +/- 200 ACRES [Score – 23] Location: Bordered on the west by Gallagher Road and on the south by Interstate 4. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition contingent upon approved restoration plan on “Area 1”. Negotiate protection or acquisition of “Area 2”. ALAFIA RIVER +/- 62.38 ACRES [Score – 19] 21 Location: Land between Riverview Blvd and Alafia River west of US 41 and east of recently acquired park. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. FISH HAWK PARK PORTION ADDITION +/- 10.4 ACRES [Score – 19] Location: West side of Osprey Ridge Drive south of Parkset Drive Recommendation: Subject to approval of the Director of Parks and Recreation, have property management responsibility transferred to the Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department for management as an ELAPP site. SIMMONS CREEK HAMMOCK +/- 601.64 ACRES [Score – 18] Location: Land between Interstate I-4 and north of Jess Walden Road east of the weigh station. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. BULLFROG CREEK – NUNDY +/- 29 ACRES [Score – 14] Location: Land between Nundy Ave and Bullfrog Creek East of US 41. Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition of the site. GEORGETOWN +/- 82 ACRES* [Score – 14] Location: Dredged peninsula west of the Georgetown Apartments on Westshore Boulevard (*it is estimated that approximately 34 acres of the site consists of submerged lands). Recommendation: Negotiate protection or acquisition contingent upon approved restoration program. 22 MERGED SITES PRINGLE BRANCH +/- 380 ACRES Location: East of Hobson Simmons Road between Balm Boyette Scrub and the reservoir property along the Pringle Branch. Status: This site is now part of the Balm Boyette Preserve SIMMONS TRACT +/- 80 ACRES Location: Land located adjacent to the Boyette Tract on Pringle Branch, a tributary of the Fishhawk Creek. Status: The Real Estate Department has presented offers to the owners who have rejected them based upon their estimation of value. This parcel is now combined with adjoining lands as the “Pringle Branch” which was subsequently merged with the Balm Boyette Preserve. SUN CITY SCRUB +/- 40 ACRES Location: Land located in southern Hillsborough County between U.S. 41 and the railroad tracks south of Old Sun City. Status: This site is now part of the Piney Pointe & Cockroach Creek Site ZINDLER +/- 25 ACRES Location: Land located on the Little Manatee River adjacent to and across the river from the Little Manatee River State Recreation Area. The boundary of this site has been modified to address the “Crenshaw” nomination. Status: The properties associated with this site are now part of the Little Manatee River Site. AGRICULTURAL BUFFERS There are currently no sites in this classification. 23 PENDING CONTRACTS UPPER LITTLE MANATEE RIVER +/- 1,978 ACRES (f.k.a. Saffold Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Along the Little Manatee River, upstream of U.S. Highway 301, just north of the Manatee County line and back into the County to S.R. 579. Status: At the September 21, 2022, Board of County Commissioners Meeting, the Board approved the contract for the purchase of the “Buzbee” parcel, which is a 78.97 acre tract within the Upper Little Manatee River Preserve. ACQUIRED PARCELS RECENTLY ACQUIRED PARCELS (Since Beginning of Prior Fiscal Year) ALAFIA NORTH PRONG +/- 4,400 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Along the north prong of the Alafia River, from Alderman’s Ford Park to the Polk County line. Status: On April 22, 2022, the County closed on the “Dumke” parcel acquisition, which is a 20-acre tract within the Alafia North Prong Preserve. The purchase price was $595,000. BAHIA BEACH COASTAL RESTORATION +/- 233.7 ACRES Location: East of Bahia Beach and south of the County’s E.G. Simmons Park. Status: On October 26, 2021, the County closed on the “Riverton” parcel acquisition, which consisted of approximately 84 acres MOL within the Bahia Beach Restoration Preserve. The purchase price was $3.6 million. $3.25 million of the purchase price was reimbursed to the County under the RESTORE program (funding from the Deep-Water Horizon settlement, see “Substantially Acquired.” PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED PARCELS (Prior to Beginning of Prior Fiscal Year) 24 ALAFIA NORTH PRONG +/- 4,400 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Along the north prong of the Alafia River, from Alderman’s Ford Park to the Polk County line. Status: As part of an Interlocal Agreement between the District and the County, the District has acquired approximately 1,000 acres (initial preservation through a life estate and a conservation easement with a right to purchase within 5 years) for a total cost of $2,512,000. The County provided 50% of the acquisition costs. On December 7, 2006, the County acquired 764 acres from the Gooch Family Trust with a purchase price of $8,264,400. Due to lack of funding from Florida Forever, it is doubtful that joint funding from SWFWMD will occur. At the request of Mosaic staff properties under their ownership were removed f rom the site. At such time that it is relayed that Mosaic is interested in pursuing negotiations on any portion of their property contiguous to preserved lands, the associated property will be deemed added to the site and eligible for preservation. In conjunction with the Interlocal Agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District staff will pursue joint funding if practical. (See “Acquired Parcels”) ALAFIA NORTH PRONG +/- 4,400 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Along the north prong of the Alafia River, from Alderman’s Ford Park to the Polk County line. Status: In September 2021 the County completed the acquisition of the 135.6-acre Gooch Mosely Tract along Henry George Road for $1.2 million (see “Previously Acquired Parcels’ for other acquisitions. BLACKWATER CREEK +/- 9,500 ACRES Location: Land located in northeast Hillsborough County along Blackwater Creek and the Hillsborough River from U.S. 301 to S.R. 39. Status: The Real Estate Department completed the purchase of the 1,959-acre Weiss Property for $4,000,000. Approximately 1,800 acres are within the Florida Communities Trust Project and the County has been reimbursed a total of $1,803,000. Two additiona l parcels totaling 26 acres on the south side of Blackwater Creek west of S.R. 39 have been purchased for $93,525, with 50% funding from the Florida Communities Trust. The County also has funded a 5-acre in-holding for $22,000 and is acquiring a 10-acre 25 landlocked parcel for $20,000. In October 2003, the County has a 10-acre landlocked parcel for $20,000. On October 13, 2013, the County completed the acquisition o f the 11-acre parcel on Patrinostro Road for $285,000, which included a residence that will be used for site security. BROOKER CREEK BUFFER ADDITION +/- 900 ACRES Location: In Northwest Hillsborough County along north/east side of Patterson Road. Status: In 2020 the County acquired the 287-acre Cee Bee Groves property for $4.96 million and a 251.6-acre tract owned by Double Screen Associates LLC for $ 6.64 million. COCKROACH CREEK GREENWAY +/- 1,000 ACRES (f.k.a. Valroy Road) Location: Original site (Valroy Road) included land south of Valroy Road, west of Interstate 75, and north of the Manatee County Line in southern Hillsborough County. The project boundary was modified in 1999 to include natural habitat greenways alo ng creek systems and other areas connecting the original site to the wetlands of Cockroach Bay. Status: On October 10, 2001, the County completed the acquisition of 549 acres with a purchase price of $1,346,349. While much of the balance of the site is preserved through the regulatory process, ELAPP will pursue additional acquisitions to provide sufficient buffers. LITTLE MANATEE RIVER CORRIDOR ADDITION +/- 1,091 ACRES Location: West of Hobbs Road, south of the Little Manatee River Corridor site and north of the County line. Status: In July 2012, the County acquired 493.1 acres from the Tropicana Property Land Trust for a purchase price of $1,799,705. McINTOSH/ZACK TRACT +/- 860 ACRES (Massey) Location: Land southeast of the intersection of Knights-Griffin Road and S.R. 39 and associated land to the southeast within the Plant City limits. Status: In July 1998, the City of Plant City acquired the 364-acre McIntosh parcel f or $1,125,000 with 50% funding from the Florida Communities Trust. The owners of the Zack parcel have not responded to previous offers. McKAY BAY/PALM RIVER GREENWAY +/- 67 ACRES 26 Location: On the south side of Palm River, between the U.S. 41 bridge and the SWFWMD spoil deposition area at the mouth of the river. Status: One parcel along US 41 has been acquired by the City of Tampa with limited funding through ELAPP and with the majority of the funding from the State Greenways and Trails Program. However, since the majority of the site has been developed with residential structures, it is no longer practical to pursue for preservation and the site is now re-ranked as suspended (See “Suspended Sites”). SUBSTANTIALLY ACQUIRED SITES ALAFIA SCRUB PRESERVE +/- 78 ACRES (f.k.a. Read Property) Location: Located on the Alafia River, just east of the Interstate 75 bridge, on the southern shoreline. Status: The County has purchased the entire property for $2,150 million, with 50% funding from the Florida Communities Trust. ALAFIA SOUTH PRONG +/- 2,700 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Along the south prong of the Alafia River near the community of Welcome, southeast of Alderman’s Ford Park. Status: As part of an Interlocal Agreement between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the County, over 2,091 acres have been preserved at a total cost of $6,382,844 with the County and the District each providing 50% of the acquisition costs. The properties are managed under a lease from the District to the County. The County acquired the 20-acre Marine Property and the 6-acre Jordan Property near Welcome Road. Staff did not pursue joint funding due to the cost to comply with SWFWMD acquisition policies. Two adjoining 40-acre tracts have been acquired by the County for wetland mitigation (through preservation), which have been funded as part of road projects and will be managed as part of the adjoining preserve. In 2016, 53.7 acres at Jameson Road and CR 39 was acquired for $686,720. In 2019, 124,8 acres on CR 39 north of Jameson Road was acquired for $1,597,440. At the request from representatives for Mosaic Fertilizer, the properties titled with Mosaic Fertilizer have been removed from the site. ALDERMAN’S FORD PRESERVE +/- 1,600 ACRES (f.k.a. Alderman’s Ford Addition) 27 Location: Lands on either side of the Alafia River from Alderman’s Ford Park westward between S.R. 39 and Lithia Pinecrest Road. Status: In June 1990, the County acquired 541 acres of property known as the Sheldon Property for $1,477,200. In June 1993, an additional 353.5 acres was purchased from the Joo Family for $1,396,923 (with approximately 9.5 acres designated an acquisition of convenience to address the future road extension through the property f rom the end of Bloomingdale Avenue to Keysville Road). An additional 76 acres was acquired from the West Estate in April 1995, for $237,000. The County has completed a Contract with the State for the sale of the three acquired parcels with a sale price of $1,532,100 (with the County retaining the Acquisition of Convenience). These funds have been returned to the program for other acquisitions. Staff has negotiated a lease from the State for management purposes. The County will attempt to negotiate acquisition of the remainder of the site. The balance of the project may be protected or acquired in conjunction with the Interlocal Agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Staff is authorized to expand or modify site area to correspond to acquisition boundary approved by the District. ALDERMAN’S FORD SOUTH PRONG ADDITION +/- 950 ACRES Location: Land stretching from the east boundary of Alderman’s Ford Park along the South Prong of the Alafia River to C.R. 640, where it meets the South Prong Portion of the South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor. This site also includes the Van Horne site. Status: As part of an Interlocal Agreement between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the County, the District has acquired 354 acres adjacent to Alderman’s Ford Park for $764,000. An additional parcel containing approximately 1,088 acres in this site and the Alafia South Prong site was acquired in 1998 for $3,198,720. On both acquisitions, the County has provided 50% of the acquisition cost. APOLLO BEACH +/- 63 ACRES Location: Land on the northern tip of the Apollo Beach peninsula. Status: The two parcels totaling 62.7 acres that comprise this site were acquired in early 1996 with a total purchase price of $2,066,258. The County has received a reimbursement of $1,042,000, 50% of all acquisition costs, from the Florida Communities Trust Program. Approximately 37 acres of the site have been restored by the SWIM Program to include native estuarine wetland and coastal upland habitats. The balance of the site functions as a resource-based park with beach access. 28 BAHIA BEACH COASTAL RESTORATION +/- 233.7 ACRES Location: East of Bahia Beach and south of the County’s E.G. Simmons Park. Status: In July and August 2001, the County completed the acquisition of three parcels totaling 148.7 acres with a total purchase price of $656,512. Through a Grant f rom the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Department of Environmental Protection, the County has been reimbursed 62% of the purchase price, $407,036, and $46,650 toward certain restoration costs. The SWIM Program plans to restore the natural hydrology and habitat of the site. An additional 170 acres (more or less) of undeveloped land between the existing preserve and the Little Manatee River was approved but not included since the prior owner did not want to have it in the ELAP Program. In exchange for other County owned lands, the current owner has traded approximately 80 acres north of Shell Point Road to the County for preservation. As of the effective date of this report the County has contracts to acquire the Riverton Parcel south of Shell Point Road (See ‘Pending Contracts”). BALM-BOYETTE SCRUB PRESERVE +/- 5,260 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: A six-mile-long site on both sides of Balm-Boyette Road and Balm Riverview Roads approximately ½ mile north of C.R. 672 and lands west of Balm Riverview Road and north of CR 672 Status: In March 1992, the County acquired 4,920 acres of this site from the Williams Acquisition Holding Company for $16,123,054. This included the 1,300-acre portion that has been partially reclaimed from phosphate mining. Approximately 3,600 acres was sold to the State in December, through the Preservation 2000/CARL Program for $6,373,000 (half of the associated purchase price) and is currently leased back to the County on a nominal basis until 2046. The BOCC has approved the conveyance of 60 acres to Tampa Electric Company (TECO) for a major transmission corridor, subject to a conservation easement to the County. In addition to the $500,000 payment, the County has received funding toward a management plan for this site and a parcel on the Alafia River. Staff negotiated a 10-acre purchase on the western boundary from John Fallen for $44,000. The western 4 acres have been designated an “Acquisition of Convenience” and are available for sale. In conjunction with a cooperative acquisition with the Water Resources Department, the County acquired 441 acres in the eastern portion of the AgMart property for preservation through ELAPP at a cost of approximately $21 million. Once restored this property will provide a wildlife corridor connection between the Balm Scrub site the portion of Balm Boyette Scrub preserve titled with the State. 29 BALM SCRUB +/- 2,100 ACRES (f.k.a. Balm Road Scrub) Location: Land south of Balm Road (C.R. 672), east of U.S. Hwy 301, and west of the old CSX Railroad grade in south Hillsborough County. Status: In January 1999, the County completed the purchase of 1,592 acres for $3,183,740. The SWIM Program completed a 30-acre wetland restoration/stormwater treatment project on the site in 2004. In 2020 a ten-acre parcel with a residence at the South end of McGrady Road was acquired to provide site security and improve public access. BALM SCRUB ADDITION +/- 3,845 ACRES Location: Between Balm Wimauma Road and West Lake Drive south of the Balm Scrub site. Status: In July 2010, the County acquired 100.16 acres from Amy Diehl for a purchase price of $801,280, adjoining the Balm Scrub site. In January 2011, the County acquired 1,018 acres from Spencer Farms, Inc., Eisenhower Properties and Mitchell Development for a total purchase price of $10,372,576. While ranked as acquired as part of the 2019 reranking of all sites, based on subsequent review it may be presented to the ELAPP Site Selection Team for consideration as an active site. BELL CREEK PRESERVE +/- 490 ACRES (f.k.a. Sterling Downs and Sterling Downs Addition, a.k.a. Sterling Down Greenway for FCT) Location: Corridor north of Shadow Run from McMullen Loop Road to Bell Creek. Status: The County acquired 60 acres of this site for $810,000 in May 1990. In November 1995, the County completed the purchase of an additional 363 acres for $1,438,117 from McRiley Homes. The County has conveyed a portion of the site (mostly altered land) to the School Board for a middle school that will adjoin a facilities- based park. In September 1997, the Real Estate Department completed the acquisition of 142.7 acres from Murlin and Myra Hansen for $1,350,000. The County received a grant of $1,290,058 from the Florida Communities Trust for 50% of the cost of the remainder of the McRiley Homes tract and the Hansen Property. BLACKWATER HAMMOCK +/- 9 ACRES Location: Land on the Hillsborough River Reservoir within the Tampa City limits. It is bordered on the east by the river, on the south by several residential lots, and on the west and north by a public golf course. 30 Status: The City of Tampa has completed the purchase of this site for $200,000, with 40% of the acquisition costs being funded by Florida Communities Trust and the balance provided by ELAPP. This site will be managed by the City of Tampa in accordance with a management plan approved by the County’s Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department and Florida Communities Trust. BOY SCOUT PORTION +/- 800 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: An area northeast of the intersection of Lithia Pinecrest Road and Lithia Springs Road, along the Alafia River. Status: In December 1991, the County acquired 195 acres of the River Hills Development from the Arvida/JMB Partners for $700,000 and 195 acres from FishHawk Ranch for $1,290,000. An additional 40 acres was acquired through a tax deed auction for $16,000. With the exception of a few parcels, a portion of the site is protected through regulatory requirements associated with the River Hills Development and a large tract in the site is being used as a Boy Scout Camp (is felt that the nature of their use should not have a substantial impact on the wildlife corridor). An additional parcel (approximately 26 acres of wetlands) has been conveyed to the County as part of the settlement with TECO regarding the Balm Boyette Scrub. A 30-acre parcel was acquired for $24,000 and an 8.9-acre tract was acquired for back taxes of $11,700 (though this amount may be reduced by Board action). The balance of the project may be protected or acquired in conjunction with the Interlocal Agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Staff is authorized to expand or modify site area to correspond with acquisition boundary approved by the District. On August 5, 2004, the County acquired a conservation easement from the Gulf Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America, Inc., as part of an exchange not associated with the ELAP Program. This property was included in an application to Florida Communities Trust on a much larger project and was awarded a grant. While not funded through ELAPP, the proceeds from the grant were designated for recreational improvements and management of the FCT nomination. Forty acres that were previously under a conservation easement were acquired with Public Works funding; therefore, it could meet the requirements for mitigation. On December 17, 2012, the County acquired the 3-acre Chadwick Parcel next to Lithia Springs Park. The associated residence will either be: 1) used for site security; or 2) demolished and the site restored to native habitat. BROOKER CREEK BUFFER PRESERVE +/- 500 ACRES (f.k.a. Clearwater Property) Location: Land located in northwest Hillsborough County south of Tarpon Springs- Lake Fern Road, west of Patterson Road, directly east and adjacent to the Pinellas County line. Status: In May 1994, the Real Estate Department completed the purchase of the 390 acres owned by the City of Clearwater for $1.2 million. As part of the transaction, the 31 City of Clearwater provided $200,000 from the sale to the County for the purposes of restoring the site. Additional acquisitions are being considered. Tampa Electric Company has been authorized to conduct restoration as mitigation for off-site wetland impacts estimated at a value of $156,000. Four 1-acre lots were acquired in February 2000, at a total cost of $146,050. The 66-acre DiBerardino Property was acquired in December 2008. On September 30, 2009, the County completed an agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to use the property for wetland mitigation through preservation and fully reimbursed the County for the acquisition of this property. BROOKER CREEK HEADWATERS +/- 1,730 ACRES Location: Land in northwest Hillsborough County, north of Van Dyke Road, south of Lutz-Lake Fern Road, west of Carlton Arms Apartments and the Cheval subdivision. Status: In March 1994, the Southwest Florida Water Management District completed the acquisition of the 944-acre Cypress Bend Tract from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for $3.5 million, which included capacity fees for water and wastewater service (as well as 38 acres of platted right-of-way). The District provided approximately $1.6 million, with the County reimbursing $1.9 million. The County has received the rights to the capacity fees that have been transferred to Public Utilities with a $450,000 reimbursement to the ELAP Program. The District has acquired an additional 130 acres, including a residence that is being used for site security, for a total cost of approximately $750,000 and additional acquisitions are planned. All acquired areas will be leased to the County. In 1998, the Southwest Florida Water Management District dropped this site f rom th eir Five-Year plan. Any further acquisitions will need to be funded solely by the County. The County completed the acquisition of the 31-acre Hope Property near the corner of Gunn Highway and Van Dyke Road for $461,000. The 4-acre corner was excluded since it was not essential to the preservation of the site and high cost due to its commercial potential. BULLFROG CREEK SCRUB +/- 2,163 ACRES Location: Land along Bullfrog Creek between U.S. 301 and Interstate 75 in south Hillsborough County. Status: In February 1996, the County completed the purchase of the entire 1 ,620-acre site for $4,750,000. Through an agreement with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC, formerly the Game and Freshwater Fish Commission), the western half of this site has been used as a regional gopher tortoise mitigation bank. The County has received in excess of $2.4 million through permits issued for the FFWCC for their portion of the project. The eastern half will be used by Hillsborough County as a mitigation bank as part of the County’s Upland Wildlife Habitat Ordinance. Over time, it is planned that the entire purchase price will be 32 refunded to the ELAP Program from the payments associated with these mitigation credits. COCKROACH BAY +/- 1,363 ACRES (combined former Cockroach Bay Addition site (formerly Leisey Shell Pits] and Isles of Cockroach Bay) Location: Majority of the land west of Gulf City Road and north of Cockroach Bay, adjacent to the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve and two ELAPP sites (Cockroach Bay Islands and Piney Point/Cockroach Bay), and the islands from the Little Manatee River to Cockroach Bay and approximately two miles of mangrove shoreline. Status: The County acquired the majority of islands from the Whitaker Family in August of 1989 for $950,000. The County has received a reimbursement of $604,000 from the State’s Conservation and Recreational Lands (CARL) Program. This site will be managed as part of the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve. Owners of the remaining island are reluctant to sell. The County has acquired approximately 875 acres f or about $2.1 million. A multi-agency effort with the Surface Water Improvement and Management Program (SWIM), Department of Environmental Protection, and the Environmental Protection Commission is in the process of restoring the site into a preserve and resource-based park. In 2006, ELAPP facilitated the donation of the 43-acre Lost River Fish Farm in the northern portion of the site. In 2007, the County acquired two in-holdings (about 3 acres and another 10 acres) on the north shore of Cockroach Bay. On April 7, 2014, the County completed the acquisition of the Big Cockroach Mound for $100,000. COCKROACH AND PINEY POINT CREEKS +/- 3,5,50 ACRES Location: On the eastern shore of Tampa Bay, just north of the Manatee County line. Status: In conjunction with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the 2,347-acre TECO Property was acquired for $3,427,144. In 2016, SWFWMD, as part of the SWIM Program, completed a large-scale estuarine and coastal habitat restoration project on the site and the adjoining Fulkerson Road site. Staff is pursuing the other properties in this project with willing owners. CYPRESS CREEK PRESERVE +/- 4,300 ACRES Location: Land on both sides of Cypress Creek east of Livingston Road, west of Interstate 75, and north of C.R. 581. Status: In April 1996, the Real Estate Department completed the purchase of 1,200 acres for $1,200,000 from the Diez Family. In October 1996, the purchase of the 71-acre All State Homes Tract was completed. Of these acquisition costs, 40% were funded by the Florida Communities Trust. In November 1999, the County completed the purchase of 827 acres from Lennar Homes for $6,500,000. 33 In September 2000, the County completed the purchase of the 291-acre Jennings Parcel for $974,407. It is located west of Interstate 275 and east of Livingston Road at the end of Roberson Trail. While under contract, the property was submitted as a preservation mitigation site. Staff completed the necessary actions for it to be used by FDOT for mitigation, and the County received 100% of the acquisition funding. On May 24, 2001, the 110-acre Greer Property (directly north of the Jennings Parcel) was acquired at a cost of $118,653, and in 2008, the ELAPP program was reimbursed 100% of the acquisition funding as part of the site being used for mitigation by the County’s Public Works Department. In July 2011, the County acquired 25 acres from Ralph and Suzanne Terrell for $345,151. In June 2020 the County acquired 43 acres from Brian Kirby for $685,000 which adjoins the Terrell and Jennings properties. CYPRESS STREET +/- 55 ACRES Location: Land located at the west end of Cypress Street on Old Tampa Bay in the Westshore district. Immediately north of the Diamond Back Tract. Status: On September 30, 1996, the County completed the purchase of approximately 42 acres of this site. The three contracts totaling $3,956,000 needed to close simultaneously. Approximately 38% of the acquisition costs were paid by the Florida Communities Trust. This site is titled with the City of Tampa, who will restore the site, create wetlands to treat stormwater, and develop a beach access park through SWIM and a Pollution Recovery Trust Fund Grant. In June 1998, the County acquired the 1.2-acre Blank Property for $75,000, which is the last remaining vacant tract north of the Lemon Street Canal. There was no FCT f unding since the grant was retired. The Blank Property was deeded to the City with restrictive covenants to assure that the site is held for preservation. The remaining ownership south of the canal may be considered if there are willing sellers. DAIRY FARM +/- 372 ACRES Location: East of the Hillsborough River, west of Hwy 301, south of the Hillsborough River State Park, and north of Wilderness Park. Status: On January 30, 1989, the Real Estate Department completed the acquisition of this site with a total purchase price of $1,735,050. The Real Estate Department, working with the Parks and Recreation Department, prepared and the Board approved a lease of the site to the State as an addition to the Hillsborough River State Park. They will be responsible for managing the site and they are formulating plans for planting and restoration efforts. A portion of the site has been restored by West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority for mitigation of off-site wetland impacts associated with pipeline construction. 34 DELANEY CREEK +/- 22 ACRES Location: Land located on the south side of Delaney Creek, north of Hartford Street and east of the CSX Railroad. Status: The Real Estate Department completed the purchase of the Richards and Wise parcels. A third tract was conveyed to the County to correct a hiatus in the project. Th e Stormwater Section of Engineering and Construction Services has completed a restoration project. While there are additional parcels in this site, there are no further acquisitions currently planned for this project. DIAMONDBACK PRESERVE +/- 10.4 ACRES (f.k.a. Brackins Tract) Location: Just north of the Howard Frankland Bridge on the east shore of Tampa Bay. Status: Acquired site for $400,000 with agreement for pending joint funding f rom the Aviation Authority. ECOPALMS +/- 1,036 ACRES Location: Land within the City of Tampa, between Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Interstate 75, to the east and west; and Tampa Palms development and the University of South Florida’s Ecological Research Area to the north and south. Status: The site is effectively preserved through the development process according to the City of Tampa. The County will consider the purchase of the remaining property rights if half of the purchase price is funded by another agency who will manage the property or if it can be acquired at a substantial discount from appraised value and managed by another agency. ENGLISH CREEK +/- 636 ACRES Location: North of S.R. 60, southeast of Plant City, on English Creek and Howell Branch. Status: The County acquired a 123-acre tract in September 1989 for $255,000 and a 133-acre tract in 1990 for $1,100,000, which provides a manageable unit. A lease with Hillsborough Community College (HCC) has been approved to allow the site to be used for environmental studies for the public. The site has been expanded to reflect rece ntly nominated adjoining lands. Additional acquisitions will be considered in the future. The County’s Stormwater Section and the SWIM Program are jointly funding the design and construction of a wetland restoration/stormwater treatment system on the site. Since HCC has closed the environmental studies center the HCC property was acquired by the County in 2019. Due to its condition, the environmental studies center was demolished. 35 FISHHAWK RANCH +/- 3,540 ACRES (Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Southeast County, south of the Alafia River, north of Boyette-Bell Shoals Road between Fish Hawk and Little Fish Creeks and west of Lithia-Pinecrest Road. Status: In 1991, the County completed two acquisitions totaling 300 acres adjacent to Fish Hawk and Little Fish Hawk Creeks, with a total cost of $2,880,000. On December 15, 2003, the County completed the purchase of 1,421 acres for $9.6 million from FishHawk Communities. Effectively, half of this acquisition was conveyed to the SWFWMD for $4.8 million and the County received a grant for $2.4 million f rom FCT so that a total of $7.2 million (or 75% of the purchase price) was provided by other agencies. On June 15, 2005, the County acquired 1,085 acres along the Alafia River from Pulte Home Corporation (who had just acquired slightly over 2,000 acres from entities held by the Thomas Family). Of the $11.2 million purchase price, slightly more than 70% was funded through two grants with the Florida Communities Trust. The County also acquired 10 acres next to the FishHawk Communities parcel from the Karlsons for $307,400, with 60% funded from FCT. Portions of the site have been preserved by Tampa Bay Water as part of the reservoir project (no funding from ELAPP was provided for those purchases). Due to the size of the Lithia Springs Preserve site and the adjoining acquisitions in this site, Lithia Springs Preserve has been merged into the Fishhawk Ranch site. On October 26. 2012, the County acquired 4.9 acres from the Estate of Catherine C. Clark. On March 9, 2016, the County acquired 15 acres from members of the Casady and Dispennette families. In April 2020, the County acquired the 36-acre Jeffcoat Property for $1,464,000 and in July 2021 the 20-acre Hagin Parcel. These two properties were surrounded on two sides by existing preservation lands. If they were not preserved their development would have impacted the preserve and greatly complicated management. FLORIDA COLLEGE +/- 140 ACRES Location: East bank of the Hillsborough River upstream of Riverhills Park in Temple Terrace. Status: On March 20, 1989, the Real Estate Department completed the purchase of a portion of the Florida College site, a 65-acre tract owned by Edward and Ramona Bolding. The site was purchased for $900,000, which was $425,000 below the appraised value. 36 On August 31, 1995, the City of Temple Terrace completed the purchase of the parcel by Florida College, known as the Temple Terrace Riverfront Park, for $1,800,000. This 54- acre parcel (plus additional riverine wetlands) was acquired as part of a 50% grant f rom the Florida Communities Trust and a cooperative agreement between the City of Temple Terrace and the County, using ELAPP funds as the local match (approximately $900,000). This site is managed by the City of Temple Terrace as a nature park. FULKERSON ROAD +/- 154 ACRES Location: Land on the southeast edge of Cockroach Bay, adjacent to the Hillsborough Community College Environmental Studies Center. Status: On December 12, 2004, this property was acquired by the SWFWMD for $791,400, with 50% funding from the County. In 2016, SWFWMD, as part of the SWIM Program, completed a large-scale estuarine and coastal habitat restoration project on the site and the adjoining Cockroach and Piney Point Creeks site. GOLDEN ASTER SCRUB +/- 1,236 ACRES (revised from original 400-acre site) Location: Undeveloped area west of Interstate 75, north of Big Bend Road behind the road maintenance complex. Status: In May 1995, the Real Estate Department completed the purchase of 1,235 acres for $3,088,000. The County has completed the sale of 1,178 acres for $1,450,000 (50% of $2,900,000) to the State through the Preservation 2000/CARL Program. This property is being leased back to the County. In July 1998, the County received the donation of .9 acres that improves access to the site. HOWELL CREEK BRANCH +/- 14 ACRES** Location: North and east of Bealsville Park on Nesmith Road next to Howell Branch (formerly part of the English Creek site). Status: On June 18, 2014, staff completed the purchase of the 14 acres in this site at a cost of $117,000. JEANIE AND PETE JOHNSON PRESERVE +/- 84.3 ACRES (f.k.a. Ekker Preserve and Lower Bullfrog Creek Restoration Site) Location: Located on the south shore of Bull Frog Creek, on the north side of Symmes Road, west of Interstate 75 in Gibsonton. Status: In April 2001, the Southwest Florida Water Management District completed the purchase of 84.3 acres of this site at a cost of $736,351. The County provided 50% of the acquisition cost. An adjoining parcel has been added to the boundary of this pro ject. The SWIM Program will restore the site to improve the water quality of Bull Frog Creek. 37 LAKE DAN +/- 1,219 ACRES Location: Northwest corner of Hillsborough County. To the west is Pinellas County ’s Brooker Creek Preserve, managed by the County. Pasco County is on the site’s northern boundary. Status: On April 24, 2008, the County completed the acquisition of the 1,047-acre Wilde Family Trust Property with a purchase price of $17,755,469. Since that purchase, the County has contracted or purchased approximately 30 acres in 4 parcels at a total purchase price of $1,310,500 to facilitate public access and management of the property. On September 4, 2008, the Governing Board selected a nomination of most of the property to receive a 50% grant not to exceed $6,300,000. In 2011, the balance of this site was submitted to FCT and in 2016 the County entered into the Grant Contract with FCT for the funding requested in this application and in June 2018 the County received $3.47 million reimbursement for a portion of the 2008 Wilde Family Trust acquisition. LAKE FRANCIS PRESERVE (F.K.A. BROOKER CREEK CORRIDOR PRESERVE) +/- 1,800 ACRES Location: Land located in northwest Hillsborough County, east of the Lake Dan site. Status: The County purchased the 1,673-acre Kay O’Rourke Property in December 2009 for $20,141,000. LITHIA SPRINGS PRESERVE +/- 54 ACRES (f.k.a. Lithia Springs Addition) Location: Three sites on the north bank of the Alafia River bordering the Lithia Springs Park site, currently leased by Hillsborough County and previously identified as a nominated site. Status: The western portion of this site has been merged with Fishhawk Ranch and the eastern portion of this site has been merged with Boy Scout Portion/SHWC. LITTLE MANATEE RIVER +/- 2,800 ACRES Location: The section of the Little Manatee River west of Hwy 301 and east of Hwy 41. Status: The Real Estate Department has completed the purchase of approximately 1,360 acres of the site comprised of eight tracts with a total acquisition cost of around $6.6 million. Approximately 1,100 acres have been transferred to the Southwest Florida Water Management District through the Save Our Rivers Program. The basis for this joint effort was established through an Interlocal Agreement between the County and SWFWMD. Two recent acquisitions include 27.7 acres next to Camp Bayou for $1,200,000 and 28 acres on Hayes Bayou at the end of River Bend Drive for $460,000. 38 Three additional parcels totaling 754 acres with a total purchase price of $1,486,000 have been acquired. These properties, which border the Little Manatee River State Recreation Area, were acquired through a joint preservation effort with the State’s Parks Inholdings and Additions Program, which is funded through Preservation 2000 as additions to the Park. All parcels have been conveyed to the State. The 56-acre Zaizer parcel between US 301 and the Little Manatee River was acquired in 2018 and is currently leased to the state to manage as part of the State Park. The 48-acre Weld property near the Sundance boat ramp and the four-acre Humphrey property by Hayes Bayou were acquired in 2019. The 6-acre Garrett Tract next to the Zaizer parcel was acquired for $150,000 and will be added to the lease for the Zaiser property with the State. LITTLE MANATEE RIVER CORRIDOR +/- 6,039 ACRES Location: Land in southern Hillsborough County along the Little Manatee River Corridor from C.R. 579 upstream as far as Grange Hall Loop Road. Status: On April 8, 1997, the Real Estate and Facilities Services Department completed the purchase of 2,611 acres for $5,793,000. The seller has provided $450,000 toward restoration of the site. On February 26, 1999, the County completed the purchase of an additional 803 acres for $2,578,700. The site is part of an Interlocal Agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the County has been reimbursed $3.8 million for the acquisition costs of 3,200 acres that have been transferred to the District and leased back to the County. On May 23, 2007, the County completed the purchase of the Dent Ranch Parcel located at the south end of Leonard Lee Road. This 85-acre parcel was acquired at a cost of $1,360,000. On March 30, 2014, the County completed the acquisition of nearly 419 acres for $2.93 million ($7,400 per acre) on SR 674. This does not include 10 acres at CR 579 and CR 674 that was funded by Fire Rescue Services for a Fire Station. Once the station design is completed, the fire station will be transferred to ELAPP, and Fire Rescue Services will be reimbursed for the pro-rata acreage transferred to ELAPP in accordance with the agenda item approving the contract. In January 2021 the County acquired the 5-acre Abuzhara parcel with a $150,000 purchase price. LOWER GREEN SWAMP PRESERVE (F.K.A. CONE RANCH PRESERVE) +/- 12,800 ACRES Location: The extreme northeast corner of Hillsborough County, east of S.R. 39. Blackwater Creek traverses the site latitudinally from east to west, and the Itchepackesassa Creek flows from south to north through the site. Status: On February 17, 2010, the Board of County Commissioners approved the transfer of the entire County ownership from the Utility Enterprise Fund to ELAPP at a cost of $11,8 million. 39 The County acquired three parcels in the southwest portion of the site totaling approximately 12 acres with a total purchase price of $190,000. Acquisition of these three parcels will simplify management in this portion of the site. McKAY BAY +/- 52 ACRES Location: On the shoreline of McKay Bay, in the extreme northeast section of Hillsborough Bay. Status: The County acquired this 52-acre site in February 1990 for $142,000. A portion of the site has been restored through the SWIM Program to improve water quality of the bay. MORRIS BRIDGE ROAD 70 ACRES +/- 70 ACRES Location: Land located on Morris Bridge Road approximately one mile east of Interstate 75. Status: The County acquired the site on July 7, 2004, for athletic fields to address the needs of this area. After further analysis, public concern about the impact to adjoining preserve lands and the acquisition of other sites that would help address this need, the property was transferred to the ELAP Program. The property has been conveyed to the SWFWMD for management as part of the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area and the ELAP Program has been reimbursed for 50% of the purchase price and 50% of the approved acquisition costs. NEW TAMPA FLATWOODS +/- 149 ACRES Location: The east side of Interstate 75 south of the City of Tampa Water Treatment Plant, adjacent to the Morris Bridge Wellfield. Status: On July 26, 2001, the City completed the purchase of this site with a purchase price of $3,000,000. The County provided 60% of the funding and Florida Communities Trust provided 40%. This property will be managed by the City in accordance with the Interlocal Agreement between the County and the City and the Grant Award Agreement with Florida Communities Trust. OAKRIDGE +/- 921 ACRES Location: The east side of Morris Bridge Road one mile south of Pasco County. Borders Wilderness Park and the Hillsborough River State Park. Status: Acquisition was completed, and the property was conveyed to the Southwest Florida Water Management District for preservation through the Save Our Rivers Program. This conveyance returned $1,163,600 as 50% of the $2.3 million purchase price and transaction costs to the program to preserve additional lands. 40 PAM CALLAHAN PRESERVE +/- 97 ACRES (f.k.a. Peppermound Creek) Location: Between Sweetwater Creek and Woods Creek, at the mouth of Peppermound Creek, north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Status: In November 1993, the purchase of the undeveloped 90 acres of this site was completed for $1,075,000. An additional 60 acres (more or less), including 6 acres of uplands not under environmental jurisdiction, was transferred to the County as part of the regulatory approvals. PORT TAMPA RESTORATION +/- 320 ACRES Location: This site is located in the Port Tampa/Interbay part of town, on the shoreline of Old Tampa Bay, west of MacDill Air Force Base. Status: On December 31, 1998, the City of Tampa completed the purchase of the 23.9- acre “Chavers Property,” with a purchase price of $1,1 million. On August 29, 2003, the City completed the acquisition of the 220-acre parcel owned by CSX. Both parcels are preserved with restrictive covenants that are controlled by the County. RHODINE SCRUB +/- 640 ACRES (f.k.a. Rhodine Road) Location: North of Rhodine Road, approximately one mile east of Balm Riverview Road, adjacent to Stephen J. Wortham County Park. Status: The County completed acquisition of 406.5 acres of this tract in August 1991. A 3-acre tract that was previously excluded to address minor contamination concerns has been acquired after it was determined that it was not contaminated. The County recently acquired a 5-acre in-holding for $70,000. RIVERCREST PARK ADDITION +/- 6 ACRES Location: East bank of the Hillsborough River, upstream of the bridge at MLK Boulevard south of Rivercrest Park. Status: The City has completed the purchase of the 5.1-acre parcel that was owned by the Reeds for $744,500. This property is titled with the City and has restrictive covenants for the benefit of the County to assure that it is managed in accordance with the requirements of the ELAP Program. RIVERHILLS PARK ADDITION +/- 37.4 ACRES Location: North bank of Hillsborough River upstream of Riverhills Park in Temple Terrace. 41 Status: This property was acquired in 1995 for $800,000 as part of a grant from the Florida Communities Trust and a cooperative agreement between the City of Temple Terrace and the County using ELAPP funds as the local match (approximately $400,000). This site will be managed by the City of Temple Terrace as a nature park. In September 2000, a series of 18 single-family lots were acquired at a cost of $742,500. In June 2000, these lots were submitted as a project to the Florida Communities Trust. It was selected for funding in September 2001, and in July 2002, the County received 90% of the acquisition costs ($688,325.00). ROCKY CREEK COASTAL PRESERVE +/- 370 ACRES (f.k.a. Troydale Road) Location: The east bank of Rocky Creek, west of Troydale Road and south of Hillsborough Avenue. The site adjoins the eastern boundary of the Bower Tract. Status: In April 1992, the FDIC completed the donation of 256 acres to the County. As a requirement of the donation, the County paid the associated expenses of $35,000. In July 1992, the County acquired an adjoining 23 acres from C&S Bank for $75,000 (55% of average appraised value). ROCKY/BRUSHY CREEK GREENWAY +/- 39ACRES Location: Along the riparian corridors associated with Rocky and Brushy Creeks in northwest Hillsborough County. Status: In the Manhattan portion, the County has acquired a 10-acre parcel for $1.3 million and an adjoining 6-acre parcel for $710,000. The County received a 50% reimbursement from Florida Communities Trust (FCT). In 2020, the County acquired three parcels totaling just over 10 acres across the street from the Citrus Park Athletic Complex with a total cost of $1.6 million. Staff submitted these to FCT and these properties have been selected to receive a $825,000 grant. FRED & IDA SCHULTZ PRESERVE +/- 120 ACRES (f.k.a. Port Redwing) Location: Land west of U.S. Highway 41 South, at the end of Kracker Avenue, encompassing the north half of a man-made peninsula, south of Whiskey Stump Key and north of the Big Bend Power Plant on Tampa Bay. Status: On October 30, 1995, the Southwest Florida Water Management District completed the purchase of the northern half of this peninsula (containing approximately 120 acres) for $750,000, with 50% of the acquisition costs being funded by the ELAP Program. This area has been fully restored by the SWIM Program to create estuarine wetland and upland habitat with beach access at the western end. The southern portion of this site was sold to the Tampa Port Authority, who will eventually develop the property as a deep-water port. A Pollution Recovery Trust Fund Grant in the amount of $225,000 was awarded to SWIM to assist with restoration. 42 SOUTH MacDILL 48 +/- 48 ACRES Location: Interbay region of Tampa, an undeveloped parcel north of Napoleon Avenue, west of MacDill Avenue, south of Interbay Boulevard, and east of Himes Avenue. Status: In April 1992, after lengthy negotiations, the County acquired this site for $700,000. The County and City of Tampa recently entered into an Interlocal Agreement for the City to submit this to FCT. The property was selected for funding in October 2003 and the County received $923,675 in July 2004. The City will now manage the property as a resource-based park in accordance with a plan reviewed by the County. SUN CITY HERITAGE PARK ADDITION +/- 106 ACRES Location: East of US 41 and South of Sun City Heritage Park. Status: The County has acquired nine lots that are in-holdings for the existing County owned lands north of Chaney Drive. Staff will ask that the Board adopt a resolution indicating that the County owned properties south of Sun City Heritage Park will be considered preserved through ELAPP THE KITCHEN +/- 629 ACRES (f.k.a. Bullfrog Creek/The Kitchen/Gibson Land) Location: The shoreline of Hillsborough Bay from the mouth of the Alafia River south to the man-made peninsula on the south side of Whiskey Stump Key. Status: The County acquired approximately 26.7 acres for $90,000 in September 1991. An approximately 328-acre parcel was purchased in July 1997, for $264,000. A Pollution Recovery Trust Fund Agreement in the amount of $200,000 was awarded to the County for restoration. On March 28, 2012, the County acquired 24.6 acres on Kracker Avenue from Berton Raden Thomas et al. for $340,000. TOWER RESTORATION +/- 13 ACRES Location: Adjacent to the existing Sulphur Springs Park, located on the north bank of the Hillsborough River and west of the Interstate 75 bridge. Status: In conjunction with an Interlocal Agreement between the County and the City of Tampa, the City completed the purchase of 12.8 acres at a total cost of $2,8 50,000. The County only funded $2,070,000 (highest approved appraised value) and the City fully funded the balance of the purchase price. Under the original Interlocal Agreement, this was to be the City’s priority application in the 2002 FCT application cycle. At the request of the City, this agreement was amended to permit the City to postpone this application to the subsequent FCT application cycle so they could pursue an additional project. As part of this postponement, the City will also submit the South MacDill 48 site. This site was selected by FCT for funding in October 2003, and in June 2004, the 43 County received $996,303. The City will now manage the property as a resource-based park in accordance with a plan reviewed by the County. TOWN ‘N COUNTRY PRESERVE +/- 150 ACRES Location: Native land north of Old Memorial Highway and west of Dick Creek, adjacent to the Countryway Subdivision, due north of the Bower Tract but separated by a 2,000-foot-wide strip of undeveloped land and S.R. 580. Status: On December 10, 1999, the County completed the purchase of the 150-acre native portion of the Pistol Range parcel of this site. This transaction represented the joint participation of the City of Tampa, School Board, and the County. The portion acquired by the School Board will be used for a high school. This acquisition included the purchase of the remaining interest in Channel “A” drainage easement, which will include a portion of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail. The ELAP Program has been reimbursed for the cost of the land associated with Montague Street. The acquired areas remaining after road right-of-way were in a project funded by FCT and the County was reimbursed $1.1 million. TRIPLE CREEK RANCH +/- 2,000 ACRES Location: Land located along Bell Creek between Fishhawk Ranch and Balm-Boyette Scrub. Status: The County has acquired two properties totaling 57 acres north of Rhodine Road and south of the Thomas Girl Scout Camp for $355,297. These tracts adjoin Bell Creek and the Rhodine Scrub site. In September 2000, the County completed the purchase of the 751-acre Edwards property for $2,254,200. This property is north of the Balm Boyette Scrub property and west of Balm Boyette Road. A portion of the site north of the proposed Big Bend Road extension that was used as a dairy farm was designated an “Acquisition of Convenience.” The County submitted the entire Edwards acquisition to FCT for funding and recently received a $1.18 million grant. On February 16, 2006, the County completed the acquisition of the 225-acre Transcend Development parcel for $8.5 million. This property was submitted to the Florida Communities Trust for joint funding and the County was reimbursed $4.25 million (50% of the acquisition cost). UPPER LITTLE MANATEE RIVER +/- 1,978 ACRES (f.k.a. Saffold Portion of South Hillsborough Wildlife Corridor) Location: Along the Little Manatee River, upstream of U.S. Highway 301, just north of the Manatee County line and back into the County to S.R. 579. 44 Status: The Real Estate Department has completed the purchase of 7 parcels containing 1,380 acres (665 acres in the original Upper Little Manatee River and 715 acres in the Saffold site) with a total purchase price of $2,986,148. The Southwest Florida Water Management District has completed the purchase of the Staley property, which included 39 acres in Hillsborough County and 100 acres in Manatee County. The County has provided $25,000 toward the purchase of the property in Hillsborough County. The County has been reimbursed $1 million on 929 acres that have been conveyed to the District and leased back to the County. VIOLET CURY PRESERVE +/- 161 ACRES (f.k.a. Flynn Lake) Location: North side of Sinclair Hills Road east of Interstate 275 and west of Livingston Road. Status: The Real Estate Department completed the purchase of this property for $1,846,783 on October 12, 1995. The County has been reimbursed for 50% of the acquisition costs through a grant from the Florida Communities Trust WOLF BRANCH +/- 1,200 ACRES Location: The shoreline of Tampa Bay between E.G. Simmons Park and Apollo Beach, and the drainage basin of Wolf Branch from its mouth upstream to Leisey Road. Status: In July 1993, the County completed the acquisition of approximately 1079.50 acres within the Apollo Beach DRI for $1.8 million. In 1999, the Real Estate Department completed the purchase of 47 acres of mangroves for $9,500. The Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program has completed a full-scale wetland and upland restoration project on the site. As part of the 2016 nominations, approximately 80 acres along 19th Avenue Northwest was added to the site as a boundary modification. PROVISIONALLY SUSPENDED ALAFIA RIVER/LITTLE MANATEE RIVER CORRIDOR CONNECTION +/- 12,605 ACRES Location: Expanse of land between the eastern edge of the Little Manatee River Corridor site and the Alafia South Prong site north and south of CR 674. Status: In 2013, representatives of Mosaic presented a request have all properties owned by Mosaic removed from consideration through ELAPP. Since nearly all of this site is owned by Mosaic, this site is no longer eligible until the owner expresses an interest in having their property preserved through ELAPP. Update: In 2020, Mosaic approved the reinstatement of approximately 1,000 acres of land along the Little Manatee River located just south of CR 674 and west of Grange Hall Loop Road.
