The Martin County Taxpayers Association has a permanent seat on the Martin County’s Environmental Lands Oversight Committee (ELOC).
ELOC has the responsibility of evaluating lands that fall under possible purchase using the half cent sales tax proceeds approved by the voters. The term of the sales tax is for the next ten years, and it is estimated the amount collected over that period will be $180 million. The ultimate decision makers for any purchase, as should be, is the Board of County Commissioners.
Other members on the board are drawn from environmental groups, agriculture interests, realtors, and a business group. The ELOC was formed by county ordinance. This committee assures that the sales tax money will only be spent on those parcels that meet the referendum’s language detailing which properties qualify.
To be considered for acquisition or to have a conservation easement, the land must fall in:
- Indian River Lagoon South (IRL South) which has been identified by the Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Management District as being in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
- Pal Mar has some of the highest quality wetland systems in Martin County and is the western tributary to the Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River.
- Loxa-Lucie This zone includes a mosaic of high-quality wetlands and pine forests in eastern Martin County extending between the South Fork of the St. Lucie River and Kitching Creek, an important tributary to the NW Fork of the Loxahatchee River.
- Blueways Programs The purpose of this zone is to protect waterways by providing natural buffers and to create passive recreational access opportunities. These areas tend to support a high level of rare and endangered species habitat. Many of the areas are also in flood zones so the project will help provide coastal resilience.
These are the areas where sales tax money may be used to outright purchase properties or conservation easements. Most of the properties that will be purchased in the first three areas enumerated are hindered for traditional development because of wetland and other environmental considerations. Most areas of South Florida looked like these areas at one time, and the voters were overwhelmingly concerned enough to authorize a tax to make them public preserved lands.
Another important feature of the referendum was the ability to purchase conservation easements. At their last meeting, one of the properties that ELOC identified to buy was the development rights on the Bar-B Ranch. This will allow the continuation of the owners to operate as a ranch while preserving the environmental conditions in the Allapattah Flats and bordering the C-44 canal.
Martin County Forever, who conceived of the referendum, fought hard to include a committee of Martin County citizens to oversee the process. There was never any question that the Board of County Commissioners would be the ultimate decider. However, having the independent ELOC as a check to make sure that the properties selected fit within the parameters of the referendum’s four areas is critical. All purchases under the referendum must be evaluated by the committee.
This transparent process was to allow the citizens the assurances that what they voted for is how the money will be spent. There is a limit on how much can be spent under the referendum…it is the amount collected from the ½ cent sales tax over the ten-year period.
The voters gave the commissioners latitude on whether they can borrow money or bond to buy more land up front using sales tax collections to guarantee the payment. What the commission can’t do is arbitrarily expand the amount of money that will be collected. In other words, there is a cap built into the process.
Let’s examine the two properties that the ELOC considered at the last meeting. The Bar-B Ranch has 1900 acres. It is currently used for cattle ranching. It will continue to be used for cattle ranching. This highly environmentally sensitive property allows the best outcome possible. By buying a conservation easement, the land will continue to allow the owners to use it in the same way in perpetuity including being able to sell their property to others for the same purpose.
What the current and future owners will not be able to do is develop it. The agricultural industry and history of Martin County is assured that on these acres our heritage will be preserved. That is in addition to the environmental elements including allowing a flow-way for water and wildlife.
The second piece of property considered is part of Pal Mar. Pal Mar was and is a water control district made up of ownership under the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Palm Beach County, Martin County and many smaller private landowners. Several years ago, the nature of the private landowners changed, causing environmental and other concerns for this highly sensitive area.
A lawsuit by Martin County against the largest landowner resulted in an agreement to buy out the main private landowner and have the first right of refusal of subsequent individual properties within the area. This is a highly important piece of native habitat, water flow-way, and wildlife area. This land can never be developed presently or in the future regardless of ownership.
The voters decided properties like those described above should be owned by Martin County and preserved. It is the responsibility of ELOC to ensure the funds collected will be used for that purpose. The two above properties are being purchased outright or with a permanent conservation easement not only using referendum funds but by partnering with government agencies to obtain grants. Staff have indicated this will be their approach wherever possible.
MCTA, as one of the representatives, will be monitoring and fulfilling that directive. If for any reason the BOCC does not follow the referendum language or county ordinance, we will be in position to let the taxpayers and voters know.
The ELOC Operating Manual, Pal Mar and Bar-B reports can be found here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:ef96d6ee-caf0-46f2-90a4-8e6127221405
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