Florida County Land Acquisition Program Survey

for Local Program Managers

April 2000

 Hello. My name is Nicole Kibert, a graduate student in interdisciplinary ecology at the University of Florida.  College of Law student Melva Macfie and I are gathering information about the active land acquisition programs in Florida on the behalf of the Alachua County Attorney’s Office and the Conservation Clinic at the University of Florida under the direction of Clinic director Tom Ankersen. As you may be aware, Alachua County is considering establishing its own land acquisition program in the next year and is trying to learn from the experience of other local governments. The information we gather will also be synthesized into a report on local land conservation programs for general distribution. A copy of this will be provided to survey respondents as well as a copy of the matrix that summarizes the survey information.  We appreciate you taking the time to confirm the accuracy of the data we already have and to supply us with some additional information to help other Florida local governments as they consider their own land acquisition programs. We ask that you also supply us with a copy of your county ordinance and, if available, the original bond or tax referendum language.

 

1.                  Background 

 1.      County

 2.      Contact

 3.      E-mail

 4.      Phone

 5.      Program Began in

 6.      Program was funded in

 7.      Length of Program

 8.      Program was funded by (Bond, Sales Tax, Other)

 9.      If funded by bond, length of time to pay back bond

 10. County Population

 11. Total County Budget (Yearly)

12. Total Program Budget (Yearly)

13. Total Number of Employees for the Land Acquisition Program

14. When is a good time to reach you by telephone?  

II.             Program Mechanics

1.      How much land has been acquired since the program began?

2.      How much money has been spent to date?

3.      What is your acquisition process?

4.      How do you select properties for acquisition(i.e. one or two more committees, a citizen proposal committee)?

5.      Does the ordinance distinguish between the purposes for which the properties may be acquired (e.g preservation, passive recreation, active recreation).

6.      What are the major selection criteria in your program (water quality, quantity of land, endangered or endemic species, open space, etc.)?  

7.      Do you have a defined acquisition strategy? 

8.      If so, how is this articulated, e.g. by ordinance, rule or internal guidance?

9.      Please briefly describe your acquisition strategy? (e.g  Is your land acquisition strategy designed  to connect existing conservation lands (corridor), or is the focus on last of the last (small land area) or best of the rest (large areas))?

10. Do you seek matching funds from outside entities such as The Nature Conservancy, Florida Communities Trust etc.?

11. If so, please estimate the percentage of lands that were acquired with matching funds by partner. (i.e. 60% of acquired lands were matched - 30% The Nature Conservancy, 30% Water Management District)

12. Is land acquisition a specified goal of the county comprehensive plan? If so, what objectives and policies implement this goal?

III.             Management

1.      Do you require a management plan prior to, concurrent with or within a specified time after acquisition of properties?