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Pensacola News Journal, August 22, 2008
Perdido plot preserved
Escambia to restrict
area at Key from development
Jamie Page,
jepage@pnj.com
About 3 acres of open land on Perdido Key soon will be protected from
development forever.
The Escambia County Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to purchase
the land at 14700 River Road for conservation purposes.
The county expects the $548,000 in local sales tax it plans to spend on
the tract to be reimbursed by state and federal grants.
The land borders Perdido Key State Park, is across the street from
public beach access and near the bicycle path being installed along
River Road. A small part of the conservation land will be used for
parking for beachgoers and bicyclists, said Keith Wilkins, director of
Escambia Neighborhood and Environmental Services.
The purchase keeps the land from being developed and provides habitat
for the protected Perdido Key beach mouse, said Commission Chairman Gene
Valentino, who represents the district including the Key.
Ann Griffin, president of Perdido Key Association, is excited about the
deal.
"That's the kind of innovative and creative strategies that we like to
see them do," Griffin said. "We believe strongly that a good long-range
plan for the island includes conservation space, and their moving
forward to preserve some of that is commendable. The fact that they're
using creative sources of grant funding to help pay for it is excellent.
That's the right direction."
The property, on the south side of the Florencia condominium
development, is being purchased from Florencia Development Inc.
It has been appraised at more than $501,000, said County Attorney Alison
Rogers. In addition, there's $47,000 worth of other costs, such as a
$35,000 fee to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for
obtaining the grant, and $12,000 for closing costs, Rogers said.
The county has a $411,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife reimbursement grant,
and it is expecting a $134,000 reimbursement grant next year from
Florida Communities Trust, to reimburse the county for most of the cost.
The Fish and Wildlife Commission is contributing $3,000 in in-kind
contributions, Wilkins said.
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