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[Bond History] [Advisory Board] [My Neighborhood
Conservation Lands & Green Space Inventory ] [Open Space Inventory]
Advisory Board Goals & Responsibilities
To implement the Broward County Safe Parks and Land Preservation Bond Program, which passed with overwhelming support from the voters on November 7, 2000, and in reference to Broward County Land Preservation Resolution #2000-1230, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners called for the establishment of a Land Preservation Advisory Board. The Advisory Board acts as a citizen's advisory committee to the Broward County Board of County Commissioners on issues involving acquisition and restoration of natural lands, open space, and park lands.
The Advisory Board is comprised of thirteen (13) members who serve the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, in compliance with section 1-233, Broward County Code of Ordinances. The thirteen members represent the following interests and expertise in Broward County: business, economic, and agricultural interests (three members); environmental interest (three members); educational interests with scientific knowledge and experience of environmental issues in Broward County (one member); expertise in developing and operating recreational facilities (one member); representatives of federal, state, or regional agencies with experience and knowledge of federal and/or state programs supporting local governments in their land protection efforts or with regional planning expertise, and whose responsibilities relate directly to environmental resources (two members). Finally, two members are appointed directly by the Broward League of Cities and one member is appointed directly by the Broward County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Following are the thirteen members of the Advisory Board and the interests they represent:
Business, Economic, and Agricultural Interest
John Carrig
Alan Levy
Keith Poliakoff
Environmental Interest
Darlene Harris
Lisa Baumbach Reardon, PhD
Roderick T. Tirrell
Academic Interest and Scientific Knowledge of Environmental Issues
George Fitzpatrick, PhD
Recreational Facilities
Ken Richardson
Regional Level Agencies
Emilio Esteban
Vincent R. Grande
Broward County League of Cities
Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson
Commissioner Edward C. Portner
Broward County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Commissioner Hazelle Rogers
The main functions of the Advisory Board are to recommend the acquisition of Conservation Lands, Green Space and Open Spaces to the County Commission and to develop the criteria for the selection of Open Spaces and Purchase of Development Rights projects. The Land Preservation Section of the Biological Resources Division in the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) provides support to the Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board met for the first time in March 2001 and continues to meet on the third Thursdays of every month.
The Advisory Board is paramount in establishing the criteria and procedures for the selection of lands to be purchased as Open Space, for which $48 million is set aside. These projects could be agricultural lands, on which Broward County would purchase development rights to maintain the agricultural landscape of South Florida, reclamation sites, or lands whose use is no longer compatible with the cities comprehensive plans, or other potential park sites in those areas of the County where few or no possibilities remain to purchase ecologically valuable lands.
The work of the Land Preservation Advisory Board is imperative. The Land Preservation Bond Program is probably the last large-scale natural land acquisition effort in Broward County. Since the completion of the Land Preservation Inventory, approximately 950 acres of open space have been lost to development. Some of the largest tracts of natural lands were cleared of vegetation in the past years. Others are ready to be cleared. Therefore the challenging task of the Advisory Board is to recommend the optimal allocation of acquisition dollars by Broward County, to ensure that Broward County will preserve the natural heritage for which Broward County voters supported in the 2000 Safe Parks and Land Preservation Bond Referendum.
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