Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: Option Agreement for Sale and Purchase of Bernadette Rabel & Jason Tesauro property through The Conservation Fund (District 1)
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Fiscal Impact:
The cost of this acquisition, $119,000, will be from Fund 3218, Cost Center 340241 of the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program.
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 Bernadette Rabel & Jason Tesauro property; and
2. authorize the Chairman to execute the Assignment of Option for Sale and Purchase upon approval of Risk Management and the County Attorney’s Office; and
3. authorize staff to exercise the Option for Sale and Purchase on or before September 16, 2026, and to execute all documents for the purchase of the property upon approval of Risk Management and the County Attorney’s Office; and
4. 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 10+/- acres located on Hammock Road in Mims, directly adjacent to County owned lands under the custodianship of Natural Resources Management Department. 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, maritime hardwood hammock, and freshwater wetlands. The property is 15% uplands and 86% wetlands. The acquisition of this property will protect maritime hammock habitat which is considered a rare and imperiled natural community type in Florida.
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, would contribute an additional 18.94 pounds per year of Total Nitrogen to the Indian River Lagoon which would cost $10,871.24 to remove from the lagoon.
The EEL Selection and Management Committee reviewed and approved the Willing Seller Application submitted by the landowner at their regular monthly meeting on November 19, 2025.
One appraisal was completed on 12/12/25 by Integra Realty Resources with an appraised value of $121,000. As per the Board-approved EEL Land Acquisition Manual, only one appraisal is required for properties valued at or below $500,000.
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 $119,000.00 (One Hundred Nineteen Thousand and 00/100 dollars). This Option Agreement will be exercised during the period beginning with the County’s approval of the Assignment of Option Agreement and ending on September 16, 2026, unless extended by the terms of the Option Agreement.
Initial management costs will include the installation of boundary signs which is estimated to cost $500. Ongoing annual maintenance costs are estimated at approximately $1,000 for general exotic plant monitoring and control.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
None