Cynthia Guerra, executive director of the Monroe County Land Authority, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
The land authority will also be attending Florida Keys Days in Tallahassee.
Guerra said, “My objective is very clear and simple. We go up every year to talk to the state legislature. And to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection about continuing their support for land acquisition in the Florida Keys. Because, as everyone knows, because the growth management regime here is a result of the state’s designation of the Keys as an area of critical state concern. Both the state and the county focus on land acquisition as a critical strategy to acquire developable lots and get them out of the development pressure. It’s also a way for us to really focus on saving places that are ecologically sensitive and respecting the rights of property owners. So we’ve been working for the state for many, many, many years, and the state actually passed separate legislation in 2016 as part of the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, which authorizes a $5 million dollar objective of land acquisition. Partnered land acquisition between the state and the county in the Keys every year.”
Some of the tourism dollars also go to land authority for acquisition.
Guerra confirmed, “That’s one of our regular funding sources, as is a surcharge on state park entrance fees. But this is additional funding that we seek through a partnership that actually Monroe County has with the state of Florida. We have a memorandum of agreement where we very specifically target land acquisition, and we support each other’s efforts, and can sort of maximize what we’re both doing. It’s been very successful. We’ve built a very effective partnership, and since the passage of the Stewardship Act that I mentioned, the county has invested over $45 million in local funds. The state has invested $15 million and we’ve even gotten a federal grant that’s helped too, about $12 million. So this is a really effective way for us to really try to reduce the role of developable lots in the Keys. The problem is that last year, the state’s funding is dependent upon Florida Forever funding, and Florida Forever funding was slashed last year. So we’re hoping to help them recover their funding so that they can help us again, like they were in the last few years.”
What acquisitions were made possible by the Stewardship Act dollars?
Guerra said, “That’s a hard question to answer, because land acquisition in the Keys isn’t like it is in the rest of the state. In the state you think of these vast tracts of lands that are tens or hundreds of acres in the Keys, we chip away at it a parcel at a time or an acre at a time. So I can’t really highlight a specific large acquisition, other than to say that their investment of $15 million has really moved the bar and helped us acquire a lot of land.”
Protecting the environment is one of the main purposes.
Guerra said, “We’ve also retired, together, with the state’s help, almost 600 development rights. So that’s 600 parcels that aren’t going to be seeking a ROGO permit in the future. Tthe land authority is always interested in talking to realtors and property owners that are looking to sell their land. Let me give my phone number. It’s 305-295-5180. The whole purpose is for us to talk to anybody who’s interested in selling land in the Keys and see if it’s something that we can pursue for one of our main objectives of either conservation, affordable housing or density reduction.”
Will there be success in Tallahassee?
Guerra said, “We always have the support of our local delegation, Jim Mooney and Senator Rodriguez are always very supportive and are always advocating for land acquisition. They’re getting ready to head into budgeting, and that’s where the rubber is going to meet the road. So we’re just going up to help them enforce the message that this is a critical need for the whole state of Florida, not just for the people of Monroe County. We’re hoping that we’ll have some success getting them to extend our Florida Forever set aside, and maybe even secure some additional funding.”