PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
title
APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF A FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN MARTIN COUNTY AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT TRUST FUND FOR CONTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TOWARDS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON A PORTION OF BAR-B RANCH
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
This is a request for approval and acceptance of a Funding Agreement, as recommended by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on August 26, 2025, and as part of the June 25, 2025, recommendation from the Environmental Lands Oversite Committee (ELOC). This acquisition will be accomplished using sales tax funds, in the amount of $5,000,000, for a Conservation Easement on approximately 1,669 acres of land located within the Bar-B Ranch in Martin County.
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DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PREPARED BY: Name: Carla T. Segura, FRP
Title: Real Property Manager
REQUESTED BY: John Maehl, Environmental Resources Administrator
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
1. Agreement drafted by:
Martin County
2. Parties to the Agreement:
Martin County
Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (TIITF)
3. Purpose of the Agreement:
Provide funding for approved acquisition of a conservation easement using sales tax funds in
the amount of $5,000,000.
4. New/Renewal/Modification:
New
5. Duration:
The Agreement will terminate upon the recording of the perpetual conservation easement.
6. Benefits to Martin County:
The acquisition and protection of environmentally sensitive lands in Martin County
7. Cost to Martin County:
$5,000,000.00 from collected sales tax funds
On February 20, 2024, the BOCC voted to place a referendum on the 2024 general election ballot for the purpose of leveraging a 10-year, 0.5% government sales tax to acquire environmentally sensitive lands. The anticipated total revenue from this surtax is approximately $220 million, and approximately $7.9 million has been collected to date. The collected funds are designated solely for land acquisitions within four designated project areas: IRL South, Pal Mar, Loxa-Lucie, and the Blueways.
In November 2024, the voters of Martin County passed the referendum. Concurrently, Ordinance #1221 was adopted to establish the framework for this land acquisition program. The BOCC then appointed the 9-member ELOC to review, evaluate and provide recommendations for environmentally sensitive lands that have been nominated for acquisition and/or conservation purposes using surtax revenue. The Board also approved an ELOC Manual to outline the process by which lands are nominated, ranked, and recommended for acquisition.
On July 25, 2025, the ELOC met, scored, and approved Martin County’s partnership with Florida Forever, the state’s premier conservation and recreation lands acquisition program administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), to assist with funding the acquisition of a conservation easement over a 1,669 +/- acres, which is a portion of property known as the Bar-B Ranch, located in western Martin County, within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
On August 26, 2025, the BOCC approved the ELOC’s recommendation to use funds generated from the 2024 Sales Tax Referendum towards the acquisition of a conservation easement on a portion of the Bar-B Ranch property and directed staff to return to the BOCC for approval of $5,000,000.00 to be contributed by the County from sales tax funding.
On September 30, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved the acquisition of the Conservation Easement, as part of an approval to protect 20,086 acres of critical conservation lands. This approval allows the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to enter into an Option Agreement for Sale and Purchase of a Deed of Conservation Easement with Bar-B Ranch, Inc. Their agreed purchase price for the easement is $17,169,200.00.
County staff negotiated and collaborated with TIITF to provide a Funding Agreement as a contributing factor towards the project, which is in the best interest of the County. The Funding Agreement sets forth the County’s obligation to contribute $5,000,000 towards the total purchase price of $17,169,200 and includes assurances that the subject property will be retained forever in its natural, scenic, wooded condition to provide a relatively natural habitat for fish, wildlife, plants, or similar ecosystems, and to preserve portions of the property as productive farmland and forest land.
ISSUES:
None
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
This item has been reviewed for legal sufficiency to determine whether it is consistent with applicable law, and staff has identified and addressed legal risks and has developed strategies for legal defensibility, as applicable.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
Move that the Board approve and accept the Funding Agreement between Martin County and the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, using funds from the 2024 Sales Tax Referendum, to assist by contributing funds for the acquisition of the Conservation Easement over a portion of the Bar-B Ranch property and (ii) authorize the Chair to execute all documents necessary to complete this transaction.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Direct staff accordingly.
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
$5,000,000.00 contribution from Martin County
|
Funding Source |
County Funds |
Non-County Funds |
|
Conservation Lands ½ Cent Sales Tax |
$5,000,000.00 |
|
|
Subtotal |
$5,000,000.00 |
|
|
Project Total |
$5,000,000.00 |
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☐Resolution
☒Other: Funding Agreement
This document may be reproduced upon request in an alternative format by contacting the County ADA Coordinator (772) 320-3131, the County Administration Office (772) 288-5400, Florida Relay 711, or by completing our accessibility feedback form at www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback <http://www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback>.