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Last year, the County executed a Multi -Party Acquisition Agreement with the Division of State Lands.(DSL) for a 50% cost -share with the CARL program. During the past year, the county's acquisition consultant,__in coordination with county staff,.has overseen pre- acquisition tasks and conducted negotiations. Procedures adopted by the Board of County Commissioners for environmental land acquisition include confidentiality of appraisals. In accordance with the County's Land Acquisition Guide, and Section 125.355 of the Florida Statutes, appraisals can be released for public information once an option agreement is executed between a seller and the County. Regarding the Cairns property, an option agreement was executed (binding -the seller to a negotiated purchase price), and subsequently the appraisals were released from confidentiality. When a county exercises its confidentiality right in purchasing real property, Section 125.355, F.S. requires that the county approve the purchase at a public meeting not less than 30 days after appraisals are released and public notice of the meeting is given. Since the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, pursuant to authority delegated by the Board, executed a purchase option for the Cairns property, and since appraisals of the property were made public at that time, the Board must now consider whether to .exercise its purchase option (contingent on the State exercising its option). Consistent with Chapter 125, F.S. requirements, this decision will be made at the March 19, 1996 public meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. By having given 30 days public notice of this proposed action, the County will have complied with'Chapter 125 requirements as well as LAAC Guide requirements to hold a public hearing before purchasing property with land acquisition bond funds. •Site Characteristics (ZAI, The subject Cairns property contains one of the few remaining sizable maritime hammock/ coastal strand communities in Indian River County. The property has approximately.lqtll� linear feet of ocean frontage (497' north of the Grand Harbor Beach Club, 350' south of the Club). In addition to protecting rare plant communities, the project would contribute significantly to endangered sea turtle habitat protection in an area with one of the highest sea turtle nesting densities in the world. The property is located in an area with a high probability of having archaeological sites (shell middens). Therefore, archaeological sites may exist on the property. •Ownership Characteristics Currently, Robert A. Cairns is owner of the +17 acre tract and trustee of the +87 acre tract. Public records -indicate that the current tax assessed value for the two tracts combined is $4,465,350. •Acquisition Cost -Share & Property Management Two issues which are important to LAAC staff with respect to all proposed purchases are obtaining cost share assistance in property acquisition and addressing management costs. Cost -Share 37 ROOK 97 PAGE 577 March 19, 1996