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Sebastian Highlands Scrub lots Page 2 DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS The subject Sebastian Highlands Scrub property was approved In early 1995 as a Florida Communities Trust (FCT) 50% Cost -share project. In 1995, the Sebastian Highlands Scrub project was ranked 14th out of 19 projects on the LAAC site acquisition lint. The project is currently ranked 13th out. of 15 aites, The City of Sebastian has expressed support of the overall project because the project will alleviate conflicts within the City concerning endangered species protection vs. private development nights. The initial overall Sebastian Highlands Scrub project consisted of +160 lots. At i public hearing on July 16, 1996, the Board of %ounty Commissioners approved the purchase of "Phase I" of the project by agreeing to buy 50 of 56 lots owned by Atlantic Gulf Coranunitles (AGC). At that meeting, with acknowledgement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Board eliminated from the overall project the northern group of 26 lots, which were determined by the FWS to be no longer crucial to the success of the project. In its application for state cost -share funding, the County chose to be the lead agency for pre-acquisition tasks and negotiations. During the past year, the county's acquisition consultant, in coordination with county staff, has conducted pre-acquisition tasks and negotiations. Since the owners of the herein described lots within the project have accepted and executed purchase contracts, appraisal results for those lots have rocently been released, •Advertised Public Meeting This public hearing has been advertised +30 days In advance to fulfill a State statute requirement that the County hold a public meeting after having provided at least 30 days advertised public notice to formally consider approving and exercising its purchase contracts for the Sebastian Highlands Scrub Phase 11 lots. The State requirement that the Board hold a public meeting to consider exercising its option after having provided 30 days advertised notice of the meeting applies because the County chose to keep its appraisal of the subject lots confidential until the sellers executed a binding contract. Once that contract had been signed, the appraisal was released and has been available to the public during the 30 day period prior to the advertised public meeting. Besides meeting State statute requirements, the hearing on the subject lots will serve to meet a Land Acquisition Guide requirement that the County hold a public hearing prior to purchasing any property with land acquisition bond funds. +Site Charactitristica The subject 41 undeveloped lots consist of xeric oak scrub in Unit 17 of the Sebastian Highlands. All of these Iota are located in the project core area in the vicinity of the Pelican Island Elementary School. These 47 lots, combined with 4 lots already owned by the City of Sebastian and 16 AGC lots being purchased near the school (totalling 67 lots out of 116 identified for acquisition in the school area), are an essential element of this core area. -Owner. Characteristics � Currently, the subject 47 lots are owned by 41 individuals (see attached). The tax assessed value of each of these lots range from 26,600 to $11,030 depending on the size and accessibility of the lot.