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Potential sale of Cone Ranch worries environmentalists

Tribune photo by JIM REED

Environmentalists always thought the area would be protected as a public preserve.

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By MIKE SALINERO

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Published: May 24, 2009

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TAMPA - With private investors seeking to broker a sale of the 12,000-acre Cone Ranch near Plant City, worried environmentalists are pushing for the property to be protected under Hillsborough County's land conservation program.

The county water department owns the ranch and environmentalists always thought it would be protected as a public preserve.

Several weeks ago, however, a small group of investors offered to broker a sale of the land to private buyers who would agree not to develop it. To sweeten the deal, the investors, calling themselves the Florida Conservation and Environmental Group, said they would set aside 800 acres for a county-owned public park.

The ranch is not open to the public now. And the water department, which operates like a business separate from county government, would have to charge fair market value to any buyer, including the county.

County commission Chairman Ken Hagan immediately championed the deal, saying it would protect the ranch from development and generate money for the water department.

But many environmentalists were outraged. In blogs and e-mails, they pointed out that the ranch was nominated years ago for purchase under the county's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Preservation Program, which is funded by a voter-approved property tax.

"The Cone Ranch deal stinks," wrote Mariella Smith, a Sierra Club spokeswoman and member of the ELAPP general committee. "ELAPP should be allowed to buy the property. Contrary to what some county commissioners are saying, ELAPP approved this for acquisition long ago."

She's right. Former water department director Mike McWeeny nominated the ranch for ELAPP acquisition and the committee approved it in 1998.

But the land was never purchased because a county parks advisory board recommended against it, said Pete Fowler, division manager for the county Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department and liaison to the ELAPP general committee.

"I'm sure their thinking was that the county already owns it," Fowler said.

The recommendation, written in August 1998, was adopted by the commission as part of the parks department's annual report that year, Fowler said.

Hagan, in pitching the investor's proposal, referenced the 10-year-old advisory board recommendation at the May 6 commission meeting. He acknowledged the ranch was nominated as an ELAPP preservation site, but added, "you'll find that our advisory board has recommended not using ELAPP dollars to preserve the land."

Hagan made other points against ELAPP buying the ranch. He noted that the state Legislature did not fund the Florida Forever land conservation program this year, depriving the county of matching grants used for ELAPP land purchases in the past.

Another point Hagan made was off the mark, however.

"It may potentially cost an additional $40 million to $50 million to bond ELAPP dollars," Hagan said, "so that would drastically reduce our dollars available for restoration."

Not true, said Mike Merrill, county administrator for commerce and utilities. The county has an AAA bond rating, Merrill said, and should get a decent interest rate on ELAPP bonds.

The county bought Cone Ranch in 1988 for $12 million. The investor group estimates the ranch is worth between $32 million and $63 million.

Merrill said the water department is required by bond covenants to get fair market value for the property.

"So we can't cut a special deal for ELAPP," Merrill said.

Voters approved $200 million worth of borrowing authority for ELAPP in November. Environmentalists argue that buying Cone Ranch is exactly the kind of deal voters had in mind.

"You're never going to have another shot at it," said Jan Smith, chair of the ELAPP general committee. "This is going to be a once in a lifetime thing to acquire a site that not only protects water supplies and links the Green Swamp and provides a fantastic wildlife corridor."

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303.

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