Commissioner Jim Scott

Eleven sites in Broward County Commission District 4 have been approved for funding as part of the 2000 Safe Parks & Land Preservation Bond program.

The $400 million bond program, approved by voters in November of 2000, set aside $200 million to upgrade and build new parks and earmarked the remaining half for preserving and reclaiming natural areas in various sections of the county.

Newly created County Commission District 4 covers the coastal areas of Broward County, from Dania Beach Blvd. to the Palm Beach county line. The district includes six municipalities, portions of four cities and the unincorporated neighborhood of North Andrews Gardens.

With $200 million, the Land Preservation Bond program was developed to preserve and purchase the last remaining natural lands in the county. Because of urban development in the east and west, most of the available land was located along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge' in the county's central corridor. Originally, $152 million was set aside to purchase natural conservation and green space parcels and $48 million was to be spent on acquiring "open space."

Due to the lack of available land in District 4, only eight sites, encompassing 91 acres, met the ecological criteria for "green space" or conservation land. Three of the sites were not feasible for various reasons including an unwilling seller, litigation and lack of municipal support. Of the eight, five have been designated by the County Commission for acquisition as part of the Conservation Lands and Green Spaces program:

1. Deerfield Beach, Site 443 (conservation land)
2. Dania Beach, Site 266 (conservation land): A 22-acre addition to West Lake Park, east of the Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood International Airport. Part of this site is currently in negotiations.
3. Dania Beach, Site 129 (conservation land): Fifteen acres of high quality white mangrove land near the U.S. 1/1-595 interchange. This site will enter negotiations shortly.
4. Wilton Manors, Site 92 (green space): A two-acre cypress swamp with large cypress trees, but with a disturbed understory. This site is in the exploration phase of the acquisition process.
5. Wilton Manors, Site 91 (conservation land and green space): A five-acre mangrove site that includes a historic building. Negotiations are nearly complete for this site with a contract expected shortly.

Because of the scarcity of green space and conservation land in some sections of the county, especially District 4, a category approved for funding included "Open space." This category was defined to include both vacant lots with no remaining native habitats and built-out sites to be reclaimed for park space.

Six sites have been approved for funding in the Open Space category in District 4, for a total of almost $ 1 0 million. Some of these projects represent unique opportunities to preserve or reclaim land along the beach and in build-out communities. They include:

1. Oakland Park (downtown park): 3.5 acres off Dixie Hwy. A parking lot and three commercial buildings will be demolished to create a downtown parking area with a band shell, a bird habitat and wa"ays.
2. Fort Lauderdale (The Pier): A 1/2 acre site near the Intracoastal Waterway on N.E. 32nd Ave. The land has a building, which the city will demolish to create a park.
3. Fort Lauderdale (Bridgeside Square): A one-acre site off Oakland Park Blvd., near the Intracoastal Waterway that the city plans to develop as a park.
4. Wilton Manors (March property): A 1.4-acre site near the Middle River. The former nursery will be an addition added to the Donn Eisele Park.
5. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (Sea Villa): A 1/3-acre of beach land containing a building, which will be demolished to create a park with beach access.

Additional sites may be added in the Open Space category at a later date when the final funding for Open Space grants is considered.

On June 11, the County Commission authorized moving $19 million into the countywide Open Space grant program. This money was originally earmarked for purchasing conservation and green space property, but the availability of such property is diminishing. As part of this total, each Commission district will receive $1 million to fund additional Open Space projects in their districts. Details on the project selection process have not been finalized.

As always, I am interested in hearing your thoughts. Please feel free to contact my office at 954-357-7004 or visit our website at www.broward.org, where you can e-mail me.