TO: The Honorable Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator
THROUGH: Michael C. Zito, Deputy County Administrator
Beth Powell, Parks, Recreation, & Conservation Director
FROM: Wendy Swindell, Parks, Recreation & Conservation Assistant Director
DATE: October 31, 2025
SUBJECT: ELAP Ranking List of Environmental Lands Acquisition Properties for Nomination Periods 2 & 3
__________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
On March 8, 2022, the County Administrator provided the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners (“BCC”) with a proposed resolution authorizing an Environmental Land Bond
Referendum for the November 8, 2022, ballot. Resolution 2022-016 was passed by majority vote. The Resolution calls for a Bond Referendum Election for the issuance of general obligation bonds as follows:
? To acquire and permanently preserve environmentally significant lands to restore the Indian River Lagoon, protect water resources, natural areas, wildlife habitat, drinking water resources, and construct public access improvements related thereto, shall Indian River County be authorized to issue general obligation bonds up to $50,000,000, maturing within 20 years from each issuance, not exceeding the legal maximum interest rate, payable from ad valorem taxes, with full public disclosure of all spending through annual independent audits?
On December 12, 2023, the BCC approved the Environmental Lands Program Guide (ELP Guide). The Guide is the primary document that contains policies, standards, and procedures relating to environmentally significant land acquisition and management activities. One of the procedures outlined in the ELP Guide is the establishment of a group responsible for reviewing and ranking nominated parcels. The BCC established the Environmental Land Acquisition Panel (ELAP) as a nine-member group to review information provid...
Click here for full text