Following the County Commission’s approval last November, Flagler County government this week closed on a $700,000 acquisition of the last 25 acres that were in private hands along Princess Place Road.
The just market value listed by the Flagler County Property Appraiser is $198,000. The land last sold in 1994 for $45,000. The purchase was based on two appraisals the county conducted, and negotiations with the sellers. The appraisals were not included in the report to the commission when it voted for the acquisition.
The county and the St. Johns River Water Management District shared the cost of the property, with the district paying $210,000 and the county $490,000, though the district, whose 3,000 acres of conservation land adjoin the county’s 1,500 acres that form the Pellicer Creek Conservation Corridor, will have primary responsibility for managing the land addition.
The land belonged to James Kelly and Judith Kelly, who live in Montana.
Flagler County is paying for its share of the purchase through the Environmentally Sensitive Land fund. Voters first approved creating the fund in a 1988 referendum, adding a property tax levy to generate revenue. They have renewed the tax in subsequent referendums with vast margins. The fund costs taxpayers 25 cents per $1,000 in taxable value (a $250,000 house with a $50,000 exemption pays $50 a year into the fund, half devoted to debt servicing, half devoted to future land purchases.) The fund generated $1.3 million in 2021-22. The current budget projects revenue of $1.7 million, with a reserve of $6.4 million.
The acquisition of the Kelly property is the first under the Environmentally Sensitive Land program in 10 years, in large part due to controversial and questionable spending from the fund over a decade ago–namely, a nearly 1,000-acre acquisition from what used to be the Ginn Corporation of eight parcels in Pellicer Flats.
“This is a great addition to our conservation lands inventory,” General Services Assistant Director Mike Lagasse, who led the efforts for the purchase, was quoted as saying in a county release. “It’s been known as the ‘Kelly’ parcel, previously owned by a family of the same name, and was the last privately-owned, undeveloped parcel on the Princess Place Road.” County Commission Chairman Andy Dance recognized Lagasse especially for “finally pulling together the Kelly property,” which Dance described as “a long process.
The acreage just acquired fits ESL purchasing standards for various reasons, including its addition to the existing preservation corridor, the identification of two plants that had not been previously documented in Flagler County, its location in an aquifer recharge area, and for the gopher tortoises that burrow there.
The county’s release included the following summary of the ESL program:
- In 1988, Flagler County voters approved an ad valorem tax to acquire environmentally sensitive lands, recreation areas, and water protection areas. The catalyst for this action was the desire to preserve and protect for public benefit Princess Place Preserve, a site of significant historical and ecological importance.
- The Land Acquisition Selection Advisory Committee (LAC) was formed in 1989 to advise the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners about potential purchases.
- However, the first purchase by this program was Bings Landing Park, which was acquired in 1989. Princess Place Preserve was purchased in phases in 1993 and in 1996.
- In 1998, the Board of County Commissioners decided to refinance the original bond and obtain additional funds – supported by a debt service millage – netting the county an additional $1.52 million for land acquisition.
- In 2002, more than 74% of voters reaffirmed their support for the ESL program by passing a referendum for the issuance of Environmentally Sensitive Lands bonds. This referendum authorized the county to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $6.7 million payable from annual ad valorem taxes levied at a rate not exceeding 0.163 mill for a term not exceeding 14 years.
- A 2008 referendum was also approved by voters to extend the program for an additional 20 years. The referendum established a flat 0.25 millage levy that is not required to be bonded. It provided the flexibility to finance up to $40 million.
- This new program also included a provision allowing an amount equivalent of up to 10% of the purchase price that could be used for land management, public access improvements, and habitat enhancement.
Barbara-Anne Williams Battelle says
Wonderful news.
Joe D says
That’s quite a lot of money….but being a relative newcomer in Flagler County (2019)….and just RECENTLY visited the area around Princess Place Preserve….I’m sure the high price paid is worth the price to maintain UNIQUE environmental properties, which the incredible Princess Place Preserve area represents. My trip there was an incredible step back in time to a Florida almost a century ago. Absolutely beautiful, and it’s position next to the water BREATHTAKING!
I’m also glad that this last bit of private land in the area, is preserved for the future, since bit by bit, Flagler County’s GREEN CANOPY is disappearing for residential and commercial development. Once it’s gone it’s GONE FOREVER!
TR says
The county will sell the land to a developer for the next development of new homes.
Crystal Lang says
TR, Yes they will.
Judy B says
The environmentally Sensitive Land Program is something I don’t mind paying taxes for.
Ray says
No doubt be a housing development, storage facilities, or strip mall
Pat L says
Good news. Now buy more similar sites before they are gone to track housing.
Tim says
Why did we pay so much for it if it’s only valued at $200k ? I think we need to stop paying so much for things.
jim lang says
I guess where getting another storage building, great :(
Ellen Tozzi says
You bet!! They just destroyed Matanzas Wood Golf course and killed hundreds of animals including protected ones. There’s nothing that won’t stop this greedy mayor
Mary says
So more wildlife dead
Concerned Citizen says
I agree with TR.
That land will be developed in 10 years or less. The County can’t wait to put a multi zoned commercial lot. Or another massive apartment complex on it.
Auntpatty says
I am glad they bought this. Even if the mayor and current development has much to be desired. This is the sort of thing they need to do in order to control development rather then be overrun by them. It’s happening all too fast and will likely end poorly for the county to by buying land and then slowing controlling growth perhaps future generations can make a better go at this given it does in fact really belong to them.
FYI says
Development cannot occur on lands bought with environmentally sensitive land funds. Nor can the property ever be sold.
A Concerned Observer says
… just until some developers decide they want to build yet another community of unnecessary houses on it, then we’ll see how preservation codices talk and cash walks. The sellers made a boatload of money well over its appraised value. Follow the money.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
How about using ‘environmentally sensitive land funding’ to buy the 8.5 acres where the POS Old Dixie Highway ‘Hotel’ has been sending Vernen, rates, garbage, drug deals, pollution into the ‘air and atmosphere’ of the 5,000+ homeowners ( and businesses) for over 11 years? Princess Place is huge – the AG museum is next door.
Why do we need so much land so far from where many taxpayers live and who are having their quality of life diminished by the refusal of the county to take these almost 9 acres and make a big park 0r a day care center – or shops?
Just another misplaced use of taxpayer’s money in my opinion.
TR says
Yes there is, vote him out in November. Unfortunately he can (and will) do a lot more damage to this city before then.
TR says
Because the city and county love to waste OUR money. They might be thinking that if they pay 700k they could sell it for more than 1M in a year or so. However, I thinking the market will fall in the next year and I hope the developers that have started their developments and this council loose their butts. Karma is a ***** and it will get Greed every time.
Ray W. says
Hello Tim,
I love telling this story.
In 1976, when Florida’s environmental protection act took effect, one of my father’s (and my own) great friends owned over 10,000 acres of land in and around the Samsula area of Volusia County. Most of it immediately became designated wetlands. The landowner then challenged the property valuation of his now far less usable wetlands, seeking a reevaluation down from $600 per acre to $200 per acre. The county hired outside counsel to represent the county’s interests. The battle went on for almost 20 years, with two sets of appeals that wound up in Florida’s Supreme Court.
A prosecutor at the time the second appeal was remanded to the trial court for more factual findings, I was assigned to the judge who handled the second and final remand from the Supreme Court. At the factual hearing, the trial judge received into evidence the fact that the county, in 1995 or so, had just purchased adjacent wetlands from another owner, with the county assessing the value of the neighboring land at $200 per acre.
When the trial judge heard that the county had assessed adjacent wetlands at $200 per acre after 20 years of fighting the landowner that the land was worth $600 per acre, he asked the outside counsel just how much he had been paid over the last 20 or so years. The sum? Over $100k. The judge immediately ruled without further argument that all of the landowner’s wetlands were worth $200 per acre, and that he should be reimbursed for having to overpay on his property taxes for the past 20 years.
A few years later, the county approached the landowner, seeking to establish an environmental preserve, in part with some of his wetlands. My friend sold the sought-after land for $200 per acre; he just never wanted to pay triple the properly assessed taxes for 20 years on land that could no longer be easily developed.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
FYI – whaddaya call the new Captains p r i v a t e Bar-B-Q on land county acquired( I believe) with money from this same fund? And a full liquor license in name of the county so we get our asses sued off if a drunk ( who got drunk at Captains) gets into his 40 foot speed boat he has tied up to our tax paid for floating docks ( more being added says Heidi) and kills someone on the intercoastal. Captains can serve as much liquor as they want – if they show no assets nobody can get any money from them in court but they will sure as hell go after us since the county OWNS the land.
If I am wrong I apologize to all readers but I believe Bings Landing was acquired using the Environmentally Sensitive land funds.
I repeat myself again and again: Heidi Petito and Al Hadeed. None of the commissioners even care to listen. Sad in my opinion.
T says
Vote David out
T says
They don’t care about this town palm coast not city
Roy says
The county cannot sell land they bought under this program and Matanzas Woods is in the city. Not the county.
TR says
Until someone changes the zoning or rules.
hjc says
Look on the bright side. There is no roof that leaks and no mold. Paid to much but they can’t sell it at a loss. They are trying to do better.
Laurel says
Go to south Florida where you have to get in your car and do some serious driving to see anything wild.
It’s sad to see so many folks who have been so burned by the current administration that they doubt any good to come out of this purchase. We can cross our fingers and toes that this property remains wild.
As for the price, the Property Appraiser always appraises lower than what the market is willing to pay. I hope the county buys more wild land, and makes sure it stays wild. What they are doing to the wildlife out west is a sin.
The Voice Of Reason says
Roy, I hope you’re right. This county is full of good old boys. If the supply gets low they just import one from St Augustine like Jerry Cameron. The county guys seem worse than Palm Coast. I could easily see them write a law or change a code and build sardine can houses.
william marshall says
It’s not just the mayor is the whole city council we r losing a.lot of the woods around Flagler because of greed so can’t just blame the mayor the whole city council is just as responsible for the destruction of the environment here in Flagler palm coast area
william marshall says
$700,000 is a lot of money for just what 25 acres why not it’s just our taxes they r spending and for what when their wallets start getting thin again they will mark it as housing or commercial development land
william marshall says
I live in the P section and there used to be a lot of wooded parcels in the P section it’s all gone now they r putting in a housing complex on Ponce de Leon this is just plain greed lining their pockets at our expense
william marshall says
The mayor and city council should all be fired period they r destroying all the greenery from palm coast and Flagler beaches greed is it is just greed time to replace them all
Steve says
Ahh what does the current Adm.have to do with the price of property explain that lol