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It's Not Easy Keeping Green

Tribune file photo by ROBERT BURKE (1998)

The proposed ELAPP ballot language does not address additional funding for maintenance of preservation parcels, which totals about 44,700 acres, more than two-thirds of which are in southern Hillsborough.

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By SUSAN M. GREEN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 11, 2008

RIVERVIEW - Hillsborough County commissioners will hold a public hearing Wednesday on whether to schedule a Nov. 4 referendum that will decide whether to continue the county's taxpayer-funded environmentally sensitive land-buying program first approved more than 20 years ago.

Voters also are expected to be asked whether they approve of borrowing up to $200 million through bond issues to pay for the land purchases.

The hearing will be at 2 p.m. at County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa.

The proposed ballot language does not address additional funding for maintenance of the acquired preservation parcels, which total about 44,700 acres, more than two-thirds of which is in southern Hillsborough.

Peter Fowler, who oversees the county's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Preservation Program for Hillsborough's Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, said annual maintenance of acreage acquired through the program costs between $2 million and $3 million.

He acknowledged that costs have climbed along with the acreage.

"We started out with two people, and we grew into 25," he said of the conservation services staff that manages preservation sites, mostly from its headquarters at Bell Creek Preserve.

Land management activities include fencing, mowing, prescribed burns, cutting and maintaining fire lanes and trying to keep exotic vegetation from overrunning native species. To allow the public to enjoy the land, additional facilities - like trails and parking areas - are needed.

Voters agreed in 1987 to pay up to 0.25 mills, or 25 cents per $1,000 in assessed property values, to buy land.

Over the years, the millage has not exceeded that, and a small portion of revenues collected was placed in an account for land maintenance, Fowler said. But money acquired through a bond issue cannot be used for maintenance, only land purchases and initial capital expenses, Fowler said.

That includes initial fencing to secure the property, installing fire lanes and building a parking lot, but not repairs or any operations associated with routine maintenance, he said.

That means the program has depended largely on grants and money from the county's general fund, which is subject to the ranking of overall county needs during the budget process. Cuts to the parks department programs, including the conservation division, have been proposed this year.

Forest Turbiville, a parks department manager overseeing the conservation division, told a group of residents Tuesday that county budget officials are considering earmarking about $16 million in ELAPP funds for operating expenses, including jobs.

Jan Smith, chairwoman of the ELAPP general committee, said the committee drew largely on the historic wording of the ballot language in past years in making its recommendation for the upcoming public hearing.

She said members discussed the possibility of asking voters if they would support using some of the tax revenues for maintenance of parks and conservation land. But members decided ballot wording similar to the original was more likely to appeal to voters, Smith said.

She said she did not know if there could be more ELAPP tax money earmarked only for preservation land maintenance, excluding other kinds of parks.

The current program doesn't expire until January 2011. But, with existing funding for land purchases dwindling, Smith said, the committee thought it was best to try to secure voter approval this year for another bond issue, so that the program's land buyers could take advantage of a favorable real estate market.

Reporter Susan M. Green can be reached at (813) 865-1566 or sgreen@tampatrib.com.

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