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Vero Beach Vice Mayor Sandra Bowden urged the Board to unanimously vote in <br />favor of purchasing the Islands. <br />It was determined that no one else wished to be heard and the Chairman closed the <br />public hearing. <br />Commissioner Macht felt comments were in order. He recounted how in 1989 he (as <br />a City of Vero Beach Councilman) introduced the bridge ordinance and the R-1AAA to <br />restrict development on those islands for ecological reasons. When asked for their support, <br />at that time, the Marine Resources Council said it was a "local issue". He also had asked the <br />County Commission and got no help. The City's Planning & Zoning Board voted against <br />his proposals. All of them are now eloquent advocates of buying the islands He had won <br />three votes of the Council to press the R-1AAA zoning and the bridge ordinance. He <br />believed buying the islands at an elevated price does not make sense and suggested we may <br />be buying land Lost Tree does not even own. He thought the principal driving force is a <br />"not -in -my -backyard issue." The Board had authorized the Florida Communities Trust to <br />negotiate but where is the "negotiation"? In negotiation you do not offer everything you <br />have up front. The health of the Lagoon will be taken care of by R-1AAA. He believed <br />the County has no business spending excessive dollars above a reasonable appraisal price <br />to purchase these islands. He predicted that if the Board approves this now, it will destroy <br />the confidence of our citizens in passing another bond issue to buy environmentally sensitive <br />lands He hoped the Board would not approve this contract without some negotiation with <br />the other party. <br />MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Macht not to <br />approve staff's recommendation. There was no second. <br />September 3, 2002 <br />