My mistake. The correct name of the ACT (Alachua Conservation Trust) liason for Lily Springs property is Robert Hutchinson.
Also, Brack wrote this note to me this morning: The “resolution of support” may be a ploy to garner some kind of points for grant funding from land acquisition entities. To be clear, Gilchrist County does not get this property for free all they voted on was a “resolution of support”.
There is no chance that Barley and Corbin would get their way with the bulk transfer facility just because they are doing this in advance of any of their permits. Outside the meeting, I heard the term “green washing” passed around too.
One more correction, The Florida Forever Fund lost their funding because they came from documentary stamp revenue which are paid in real estate transactions. And Barley mentioned while trying to sell the land to SRWMD last year the Florida Community Trust lost funding through the Florida Legislature sessions. So, now they are trying to work with ACT.
I know the District would still very much like to have this acquisition. Maybe if Barley and Corbin offered it at far less than $1 million. At 10 acres the going rate for Santa Fe Riverfront in this market is between $10,000 and $25,000 per acre. Now with a spring of its relevance it’s closer to $25,000 plus per acre, but certainly not $100,000 per acre as they requested from the SRWMD.
More later. And the North Florida News is running a story on Lily Springs this week. Paper comes out on Thursdays.
Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson
president, OSFR
