Seminole County commissioners voted unanimously on a motion to advance seven properties identified by the Seminole Forever application review committee to the next step of due diligence and potential grant applications. Commissioner Constantine moved the board action, saying the committee’s work was “the most organized, focused, and hardworking” and recommending the next step be additional analysis and engagement with partners.

The board heard a detailed briefing from Rick Durr, director of Parks and Recreation, who described the Seminole Forever program (ordinance adopted in August 2023) and the Application Review Committee’s scoring process. Durr said the county currently has “just over $10,700,000 available at this time” in the Seminole Forever fund to allocate and emphasized that staff are not asking to purchase land immediately but to reserve funds for due diligence (surveys, appraisals) and to pursue partnerships and grant opportunities such as Florida Forever, Florida Communities Trust grants, and Land and Water Conservation Fund assistance.

Durr highlighted the ARC’s top-scored parcels and their characteristics: High Oaks (approximately 670 acres) and Lee Ranch (approximately 360 acres) were called out for their location within the Florida Wildlife Corridor but noted those two likely exceed what the county could buy without state partnership. Other parcels discussed included Buchholtz (a roughly 200-acre river-adjacent parcel near 419 in South Oviedo), De Arcos (about 200 acres on Lake Monroe near Sanford), Lessard (about 80 acres adjacent to Mote Lake Park), the Parker parcel (a small riverfront site with stormwater management potential), and the Lawler property (a former nursery that could address a green-space need near Orange Avenue).

Board members repeatedly underscored the importance of partnerships for funding and long-term management. Commissioner Lockhart said, “Partnerships with the state and other state agencies...are critical,” and others urged staff to coordinate with neighboring Orange County where properties abut county lines. Commissioners also flagged timing and price as key factors; one commissioner noted an item priced at $500,000 for ~200 acres representing a low per-acre opportunity that might require quick action.

By vote, the board directed staff to proceed with further analysis and due diligence work for the seven properties identified by ARC — High Oaks, Lee Ranch, Buchholtz, De Arcos, Lessard, Parker, and Lawler — and to return with recommendations if acquisition or grant applications are pursued. The board emphasized that any purchase recommendation would come back for a formal approval vote after due diligence and any partner commitments were confirmed.