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County To Buy Morsani Land For Conservation

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI

kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com

Published: October 22, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - County commissioners Tuesday agreed to spend $2.55 million to preserve Morsani Ranch in northwestern Pasco County.

The 600-acre ranch, owned by Frank Morsani of Lutz, contains part of Crews Lake and the headwaters of the Pithlachascotee River, which flows through New Port Richey and Port Richey on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.

The land will be purchased through the county's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program using Penny for Pasco funds.

In his deal with the county, Morsani agreed to sell 214 acres of his ranch outright for $750,000. More than 80 percent of that land is wetlands. Morsani sold the county a permanent conservation easement over the rest of the ranch for $1.8 million.

Morsani retained the right to run cattle on the land. The cattle would be allowed temporarily on the wetlands-heavy tract, which sits within the county's designated critical linkage corridor between Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park and the Cross Bar Ranch well field.

Ranching would be allowed as part of the conservation easement on the larger parcel. Under the rules of the easement, no development will be allowed on the land except a house on 1 acre of the ranch. The county also has first right of refusal on a future sale of the property.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners approved a $32,878 incentive package for Stainless Fabricators, a manufacturer based on Gunn Highway looking to expand to a site at the West Pasco Industrial Park.

Company officials originally sought $116,000 in county funds to help get a loan for the new location. Commissioners balked at the time, given the low number of jobs likely to be created.

Commissioner Michael Cox worked on the lower figure with company officials. As part of that deal, Stainless will be allowed to pay $83,277 in county fees over the next five years.

Reporter Kevin Wiatrowski can be reached at (813) 948-4201 or kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com.

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