Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: Option Agreement for Sale and Purchase of the Gretchen A. Graham property through The Conservation Fund - District 3
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Fiscal Impact:
Funds are available in Fund 3218, Cost Center 340241 of the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program for this acquisition ($7,000) and several other properties that are currently in the appraisal and/or negotiation process.
Dept/Office:
Parks and Recreation EELs Program
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC):
1. approve the Assignment of Option for Sale and Purchase of the Gretchen A. Graham property;
2. authorize the Chair to execute the Assignment of Option for Sale and Purchase;
3. authorize staff to exercise the Option for Sale and Purchase on or before October 15, 2026;
4. waive the requirement for an Environmental Site Assessment; and,
5. authorize the County Manager to execute all necessary budget amendments (BCRs) or other administrative actions necessary to support this acquisition.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The subject property is 1.4+/- acres located on Malabar Road in the Town of Grant-Valkaria, within the Grant Flatwoods Sanctuary. The property is ranked as a high priority for acquisition by the EEL Selection and Management Committee. As described in the Board-approved EEL Land Acquisition Manual, the property contains habitats that represent Natural Community Groups A & B including forested wetlands and pine flatwoods. The property is 95% wetlands. The property is within the Brevard Coastal Scrub Ecosystem State Florida Forever Project, is surrounded by existing conservation lands, and the acquisition of this property will create a more cohesive boundary of conservation lands along the perimeter of the Grant Flatwoods Sanctuary.
The Board approved Conservation Value Rubric was used to document the general conservation value of the property and it’s benefit to the Indian River Lagoon. Based on the available data, this property, if developed according to its current County Future Land Use Designation (Single-Family+), would contribute an additional 8.71 pounds per year of Total Nitrogen to the Indian River Lagoon which would cost $7,089.94 to remove from the lagoon.
EEL Selection and Management Committee (SMC) reviewed and approved the Willing Seller Application submitted by the landowner at their regular monthly meeting on November 19, 2025. The SMC completed its final review and recommendation to purchase the property at their regular meeting on July 15, 2026.
Pursuant to Section 125.35, Florida Statutes, if the Brevard County Property Appraiser identifies the assessed value of a property to be less than $15,000.00, then the Property Appraiser’s value can be provided in lieu of an appraisal to the Board. The current assessed value of the property is $7,000.00.
An Option Agreement for the purchase of the property was negotiated by The Conservation Fund’s land acquisition staff pursuant to the contract with Brevard County for land acquisition services. The purchase price is $7,000.00 (Seven Thousand and 00/100 dollars). The County will have a period of 120 days to exercise the Option Agreement beginning with the County’s approval of the Assignment of Option Agreement, unless extended by the terms of the Option Agreement.
Normally an Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) would be required (per Administrative Order 37) to determine if a property had current or historical pollution issues, but this property is bounded on three sides by existing EEL managed lands and on the fourth side by a single family home, which precludes any pollution issues. Initial management costs will include the installation of boundary signs, which is estimated to cost under $100. Due to the location of the property, within an area of fragmented ownership and the good condition of existing habitats, there will not be any additional management costs associated with this parcel in the near future.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
None