By Joshua-Paul Estabalaya
Herald Intern
Seminole County is moving forward with seven properties to potentially acquire under Seminole Forever, a program created in 2023 to purchase lands for conservation.
At a Nov. 18 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners directed county staff to perform due diligence for the Hi-Oaks, Lee Ranch, Buchholz, de Arcos, Lessard, Parker and Lawlor properties. This includes property evaluations such as environmental assessments, appraisals and boundary surveys, according to Seminole County Public Information Division Manager Andy Wontor.
Wontor added that the properties were selected for conservation based on criteria including development pressure and recreational potential.
“All of these properties have ecological value,” Wontor said. “For example, the Hi-Oaks Ranch, the largest and highest-ranked property, is ecologically significant as it connects to other conservation lands and offers habitat diversity, making it a strong candidate for protection.”
Altogether these properties, which Wontor said are being reviewed by the county’s Division of Real Estate, take up more than 1,300 acres of land. The largest property, Hi-Oaks, encompasses nearly 670 acres.
The Seminole Forever budget has around $10.7 million in non-allocated funds, but the estimated sales price of Hi-Oaks is around $35 million, while Lee Ranch’s is around $8.8 million. Considering these high prices, a committee responsible for recommending what to do going forward with these properties advised commissioners to apply Hi-Oaks and Lee Ranch for Florida Forever, a statewide program similar to Seminole Forever in its goal to acquire lands for conservation.
Wontor said the county wants to leverage funds through Florida Forever to conserve these properties.
“In October, the landowner submitted a Florida Forever application for the Hi-Oaks Ranch,” Wontor added. “The County may propose to manage Hi-Oaks Ranch if it is acquired. The County plans to submit a Florida Forever application for Lee Ranch in the spring, with a proposed goal of having the property incorporated into the Little Big Econ State Forest under the management of the Florida Forest Service.”
While the county’s moving forward with these seven properties, three others—Anderson, Delgado and Fisher—are still under consideration and might be acquired in the future if commissioners approve them.
“The Board’s approach allows for a phased evaluation, focusing first on the most impactful and urgent opportunities,” Wontor said.
