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The subject ±66 acre Salama and Emerson parcels are two of three ownerships in the overall ±139 acre "Oslo Riverfront South" LAAC site. The parcels are adjacent to the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area (ORCA) and the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, and are located south of Oslo Road, east of U.S. Highway One. The proposed purchase would expand the existing ±298 acre ORCA to ±364 acres. The subject parcels are part of one of the original ten sites (the "Lowenstein/Salama" site) that were on the LAAC acquisition list when the land bond referendum was passed in 1992. The overall project is ranked 2' out of 13 sites on the current LAAC acquisition list. As summarized on the attached funding status table, county bond funds are available for the purchase under the first series $15 million bond issuance. During the past year, the county's acquisition consultant, in coordination with county staff, has overseen pre- acquisition tasks and conducted negotiations. Since the sellers recently accepted and executed purchase contract Option Agreements for the properties, appraisal results and other confidential information can now be released. 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 Salama and Emerson parcels, option agreements have been executed (binding each 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 purchase options for the Salama and Emerson parcels, and since appraisals of the parcels were made public at that time, the Board must now consider whether to exercise its purchase options. Consistent with Chapter 125, F.S. requirements, this decision will be made at the December 14, 1999 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. The County Land Acquisition Advisory Committee (LAAC), at its meeting on November 17, 1999, voted to recommend that the Board approve the purchase contracts (see attached LAAC meeting minutes excerpt). The Emerson and Salama parcels of the Oslo Riverfront South project contain approximately l lacres of coastal hammock, 25 acres of xeric scrub, 20 acres of transitional freshwater/estuarine wetlands, and 10 acres of estuarine wetlands. The site is important from an ecological standpoint, in that the site supports listed rare species, including eastern indigo snake and gopher tortoise. Also, a bald eagle nest exists on the Emerson property. The parcels are located in an area of the county with a probability of having archaeological middens. Although no archaeological site has been documented on the property, middens are commonly associated with coastal areas having hammock vegetation such as the subject property. The property is currently zoned RM -6, Multi -family Residential, up to six units per acre (along Oslo Road), and RS -6, Single-family Residential, up to six units per acre. The estuarine wetlands on the property are zoned Con -2, Estuarine Wetland Conservation, up to one unit per 40 acres (one unit per acre density transfer credit). The Future Land Use Designation for non -estuarine wetlands is L-2, Low Density Residential, up to six units per acre; C-2, Conservation (estuarine wetlands), up to one unit per 40 acres (with a one unit per acre density transfer credit potential). December 21, 1999 37 BOOK L