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swpr
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Posted: Mon May 18th, 2009 03:36 pm |
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West Palm Beach, FL-- A land donation worth $53 million and 2,256 acres near Lake Okeechobee that will help clean up polluted runoff flowing into local waterways has set a new standard in public-private partnerships. South Florida Water Management and Martin County Commissioners unanimously endorsed a project, this week, which will play a unique role in Everglades Restoration efforts.
South Florida Water Management’s Melissa Meeker called the project, where private and public interests are working together toward a common goal, the “wave of the future.” This land donation will set a new standard in public-private partnerships.
A rare opportunity exists to create a Water Management Facility, while concurrently donating wetlands, and forested uplands, all at minimal or no cost to the public. This project will provide South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) with a largely completed water treatment and transfer hub/reservoir and adjacent wetland filter marsh storm water treatment area (STA) as a land donation.
Under this proposal, Lake Point would forego its permitted plans for an equestrian/residential development, and instead provide the majority of the groundwork for the facility prior to donating it to the District. Despite the land cost being in excess of $53 million, this proposal is made possible by the owner’s potential ability to offset its costs by excavating and selling the shallow limestone rock deposits at the site, which, could be used for various infrastructure and commercial projects including rebuilding the Herbert Hoover Dike (“HHD”), the proposed lining of the nearby C-44 canal, and construction of the C-44 reservoir.
“This partnership with Lake Point has set a precedent for future dealings with local governments around the state,” said Lake Point land owner, Jud Laird. “This project proves that partnership is possible, and we can achieve our conservation goals with these kinds of partnerships. In the future, concessions to landowners by local governments should be matched with these kind of partnerships that give back environmentally and financially to their communities. ”
When completed, the property, which is strategically located with connections to the C-44 canal, L-8 Canal and Lake Okeechobee, will contain a complex of reservoirs and storm water treatment areas. County records indicate the Lake Point Project will also reduce the amount of fresh water discharged from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River.
Susan Valliere, Martin County Commission chairwoman praised the project at the meeting saying, “It is a fabulous project. It beats 20-acre ranchettes any day in my opinion.”
Martin County Commissioner Patrick Hayes, who has been active in St. Lucie River issues for years, said at the Tuesday meeting that the project was an “extraordinary opportunity”, and complimented the benefits it can provide to the St. Lucie River.
According to records, the storm water treatment areas are expected to remove 2.6 to 7.7 metric tons of phosphorous per year from the C-44 Basin.
Attachment: landdonationtoaideverglades.doc (Downloaded 0 times)
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