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,ROOK 97 PAGE 765 Mr. DeBlois stated that the. City of Sebastian is not presently envisioned as having an active role in management of the properties proposed for acquisition other than public safety. The County would be the management agency and hold title to the property. He pointed out that if this overall (±180 lot) project does succeed, one of the main benefits of this acquisition would be that U.S. Fish & Wildlife would accept it as a habitat conservation plan for the full 14,000 lots in Sebastian Highlands and thus about 275 other lots presently under scrutiny would be released for development. Another point, U.S. Fish & Wildlife has said since the beginning that- the real core area that they're looking to protect is in the vicinity of the elementary' school and also the block that AGC owns, which is about 120 lots near the school plus an additional 37. (Clerk's Note: This 120 has been corrected on the memo which stated 130.) Mr. DeBlois advised that U.S. Fish and Wildlife has not actually denied anyone from building on any lots in the subject area, but there is a process and not many have proceeded with building on lots in the core area. Mr. DeBlois also advised that easements and rights-of-way were not included in the acquisition, but Commissioner Macht wanted the purchase contingent on the acquisition of the easements and rights- of-way. ights- of-way. Community Development Director Bob Keating advised that it was anticipated that staff would pursue the abandonment of the easements and rights-of-way from the City of Sebastian after the purchase of the property. It would land lock some parcels if done prior to the purchase, and be difficult if the purchase did not go through. County Attorney Vitunac suggested that it would be better to require that the seller would not object to our abandonment petition. Commissioner Bird had no problem with buying the contiguous properties, but he felt that buying the scattered lots will present a maintenance and management problem. Commissioner Macht perceived that politics was the reason the Board was having to do many things, and felt Commissioner Bird's observation was acute. He suggested acquisition of the core area and negotiation on the rest of it. Commissioner Tippin felt that what Fish & Wildlife was doing was extreme and unconstitutional, but he would support this issue 38 April 9, 1996 _ M M