Pinellas moves to preserve waterfront land once eyed for development
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An aerial view of the proposed Duhme Road Reserve. Photo: WK Preservation Group
The nonprofit that spearheaded the creation of a 14-acre nature preserve last year in Pinellas County is onto its next project.
Why it matters: County officials are nearing a deal to buy and preserve 29 acres of environmentally significant land on Boca Ciega Bay, according to WK Preservation Group, which helped broker the deal.
State of play: The three parcels that make up the land include an island and a stretch of coastline west of Bay Pines off Duhme Road, hence the project's name: Duhme Road Reserve.
- Largely pristine and packed with mangroves, the land is flanked by condos to the north and homes to the south, WK Preservation Group president Tex Carter told Axios.
- It's made up of coastal uplands and submerged land, including an extra-salty marsh home to snook, trout and fiddler crabs.
Flashback: The impending sale comes on the heels of the preservation group's successful $1.5 million fundraising drive to help the county buy a native wildlife-laden chunk of land south of Tarpon Springs now known as the West Klosterman Preserve.
Yes, but: This time, the county is set to cover the full price with revenue from Penny for Pinellas, the county's 1-cent sales tax for infrastructure projects.
- County parks officials said Tuesday they were still in the due diligence process and declined to comment on the purchase price.
- Carter said the purchase price will be "quite a bit less" than appraisals, which came in at about $3 million. There's $7 million in Penny funds available for environmental land purchases, per the county.
- Any sales will be subject to County Commission approval. County staffers plan to present the contracts sometime this fall.
Zoom in: A developer has owned the island — labeled Roasted Turkey Island on Google Maps — and coastal property since 2007 and once had plans to build condos, Carter said.
- The owner of a third parcel, at Duhme and 48th Avenue — also part of the acquisition — previously had plans for a commercial development.
- Both owners have since signed agreements with WK Preservation Group indicating they intend to sell the land for conservation.
What's next: The nonprofit will hold a town hall to present details of the project and answer resident questions at 3:30pm Monday at the Seminole Recreation Center.
- Should the sale go through, the first priority will be removing invasive species, including Brazilian pepper plants, Carter said.
- Officials have discussed adding a kayak launch and boardwalk or walking trail, but no plans have been finalized.