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SF? 211993 BOOK F'AGF 6;9*3 intent to acquire the property and convey it to a government entity at fair market value (see attached). Mr. Chelius has requested that the County proceed to appraise the subject property and consider acquiring it from the TPL at fair market value. LAAC considered Mr. Chelius' request at the Committee's regular meeting of August 251, 1993. After discussion, LAAC voted to recommend that the Board authorize a county appraisal of the Korangy tract, whereby the appraised value of the property will aid in the determination of whether the County should consider acquiring the tract from the TPL, within the time frame of the TPL's purchase option which expires at the end of November. ALTERNATIVES & ANALYSIS The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has expressed an interest in acquiring the property and has taken efforts to do so, but presently does not have sufficient funds to proceed. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) Program is reviewing the north portion of the subject property along S.R. AlA for possible inclusion in the Archie Carr CARL project boundaries. Also, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) has identified the Korangy tract in its 1993 Five -Year Plan for acquisition consideration. Although not under contract with a government agency to publicly acquire the Korangy tract for conservation, TPL has moved ahead with efforts to secure the tract from private development, with expectations that a government agency would eventually acquire the land at fair market value. Given the interest in the tract expressed by various levels of government, all with the common interest of resource conservation, this expectation is reasonable. More so than the state or the federal government, Indian River County is in a position to move ahead with acquisition of the subject property in a short time frame. However, as expressed in the Land Acquisition Guide, it is the County's objective to seek cost -share funds from state or federal agencies in an effort to leverage county monies. As such, it is prudent for the County to fully determine whether a cost -share acquisition is a possibility, within a time frame such as not to jeopardize the opportunity for public acquisition of the property. TPL's position is that the County should consider acquiring the property on its own, within the TPL's option time frames, or potentially lose the opportunity to acquire the tract from a willing seller or at fair market value. LAAC voted to recommend authorization of an appraisal for purposes of establishing a close estimate of acquisition cost, to determine if conditions warrant the County acquiring the property on its own, instead of waiting for potential cost -share funds. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Board authorize staff to solicit bids from property appraisal firms on the LAAC Appraisers Master List, for an appraisal of the Korangy LAAC site. 28