Members of the Clay County land-conservation advisory committee reviewed and discussed the program’s scoring matrix, the nomination/application form and the schedule for public nominations tied to the voter-approved bond program.

The committee’s scoring rubric — adapted from examples used by other Florida counties — is the tool staff will use to evaluate nominated parcels for conservation value, management needs and public benefit, Dodie, a county staff member, told the group. “The matrix is what you’re gonna use to evaluate properties,” she said, and committee members should tell staff whether any changes are needed before the county opens a public application window.

Committee discussion focused on several recurring issues: how to weight conservation easements compared with fee-simple purchases, what information applicants should be required to provide up front, how to handle properties with potential matching funds or owner donations, and what due diligence staff will perform before a property advances in the review process.

On easements, one member noted that easements tend to score highly under the rubric because they can rate strongly on management and conservation measures without incurring the same acquisition cost as buying an entire parcel. “When I look at this rubric, I think it lends itself to conservation easements,” a committee member said, adding that recreational values are often lower for easements. The committee asked staff to test the rubric with sample parcels before finalizing weightings.

Committee members sought clarity about the application form. Staff proposed adding a box to indicate whether applicants can commit matching funds or donate part of the sale value; several members supported that addition. The committee also stressed the importance of owner authorization. Staff said the form will allow nominations from third parties but that staff will contact owners if an applicant is not the landowner; for the application to advance, staff said it will be preferable to have landowner authorization or to secure it during initial review.

On the question of due diligence, staff said environmental screening would be performed on a case-by-case basis; a Phase I assessment would be used when industrial or other risky prior uses were suspected. One committee member stressed that conservation easement terms are negotiable and that the county could set standard clauses but leave room for negotiation on specific parcels.

The committee reviewed the required staff reports and the planned multi-step process: an initial office review (to confirm whether a parcel is eligible for program goals), a more detailed property evaluation report with data layers and consultant input, and a final staff report for projects the committee recommends to the Board of County Commissioners. Staff described an interactive map and GIS layers (soils, flood zones, historical resources, habitat indicators) that will support the detailed evaluation.

Members also discussed the public nomination window and schedule. Staff proposed shifting the first public nomination period later to give the committee time for the mock exercise and site visits; the committee discussed opening nominations in December through February and agreed staff would finalize the public window. Staff committed to sending six sample parcels and initial staff reports to the committee in advance of a November mock prioritization exercise.

Votes at a glance: At the meeting the committee approved the prior meeting minutes by voice motion and kept the December 16 meeting on the calendar after a show-of-hands confirmation of availability. The minutes approval was recorded by voice; counts were not specified. The committee indicated it would move forward with testing the rubric and revising the application form based on the discussion.

Next steps: staff will update the application form to add questions about matching funds/donations and owner authorization, circulate the sample parcels and initial staff reports, finalize the public nomination window with dates to be announced, and run a mock acquisition/prioritization exercise with site visits at the next regular meeting.