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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Department of General Services Parks & Recreation 1)� CONSENT BCC Meeting February 1, 2022 Date: January 11, 2022 To: Jason E. Brown, County Administrator Thru: Michael C. Zito, Assistant County Administrator Dylan Reingold, County Attorney Kevin M. Kirwin, CPRE, Director Parks & Recreation From: Beth Powell, Asst. Director Parks & Conservation Resources Subject: Friends of St. Sebastian River License Agreement for the South Prong Preserve Conservation Area "Ryall House" DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITIONS The South Prong Preserve Conservation Area (South Prong Preserve "SSP") was acquired in 2006 under the County's Environmental Lands program, with cost -share funding from the Florida Communities Trust. The SPP is comprised of two separate parcels that are roughly across the street from one another with the "Ryall Homestead" on the north side of C.R. 510 and the "Stough Homestead" on the south side. Both parcels have direct access via driveways to C.R. 510. Indian River County purchased the Ryall Homestead in November of 2006 from Margaret A. ("Gussie") Ryall. The Stough Homestead was acquired by the County in January 2007 from Shadowbrook Estates, Inc. The two parcels are approximately 37.5 acres in total. The Ryall Tract is improved with a single-family house and a detached shed. The County renovated the house in 2012 to ready it for occupancy with a Sheriff's Deputy in order to provide site security and maintenance until improvements would open the site to the public. Two Indian River County Sheriff's Deputies resided in the house and provided site security from 2012 until September 30, 2021. On September 15, 2020, the Board approved Work Order Number 3 to Carter and Associates, Inc. to provide design and engineering services for the public use improvements at the South Prong Preserve. As a transition is made to provide access for public use, the Friends of St. Sebastian River, LLC (FSSR) expressed an interest in a partnership with the County to assist with educational and volunteer programming on the site. Over the course of several months, staff has been working the FSSR to develop a License Agreement for the non-profit organization to utilize the house as an office in exchange for providing a regular presence on the site, as well as structured education programming and volunteer events relevant to the health of the Sebastian River and its tributaries like the South Prong Slough. In addition, this partnership will provide an opportunity for public input during the design process for facilities which will primarily be located on the southern parcel associated with Stough Property. These facilities are planned to include an education pavilion, trails and extensive boardwalks throughout the Slough to highlight the ecological significance of the area. FUNDING It is anticipated that funding necessary to maintain the Ryall House and larger SPP will be minimized with this partnership. General operation and maintenance funding for the County's responsibilities as outlined 134