Volusia Forever committee places Little Hawk Creek and Lake Winona Road on A list; staff reports major partnership-funded Carraway Lake easement

The Volusia Forever advisory committee on Jan. 30 moved two Cycle 6 applications onto the A list for County Council consideration and received staff updates on several active acquisitions and partnership opportunities.

Tim Telfer, Volusia Forever program staff, presented Little Hawk Creek as a fee-simple proposal of roughly 818 acres with a staff site score of 16 out of 21; the application noted adjacency to St. Johns River Water Management District-managed lands and inclusion in the Florida Wildlife Corridor and environmental overlays. Committee members asked about archaeological surveys and the property's district location before voting to place Little Hawk Creek on the A list.

The committee also considered the Lake Winona Road application. Hunter Falmer, chief of land management, described it as an agricultural easement covering about 115 acres (ranked 13 of 19); staff noted a single-family dwelling would remain and that no matching funds were yet identified. The committee moved the Lake Winona Road easement to the A list by voice vote.

Staff then provided a series of project updates. Notable items included:

- McMillan Agricultural Easement: approved by County Council and in due diligence (survey, title work).

- Tomoka Farms Road: active acquisition with background matters; staff is negotiating potential DEP partnership.

- Bennett Road and other agricultural easements: applications submitted to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) as potential 50/50 funding partners.

- Carraway Lake Conservation Easement: staff said the Florida Forever program would contribute about $8,000,000 and Volusia Forever would contribute approximately $379,000 for an agricultural easement across roughly 493 acres; the item is slated for County Council consideration on March 3.

- Riverbend Ranch: described as nearly 1,300 acres along the St. Johns River; staff reported a verbal agreement on price and work to draft contract language and secure funding partner approval (likely St. Johns River Water Management District).

Why this matters: A-list designation forwards projects to County Council for resourcing and potential offers; the Carraway Lake partnership is a large state-local match that would move a major agricultural easement toward closing. Committee members noted that without bonding, very large purchases could deplete program reserves.

Next steps: A-list packages will be delivered to County Council (target March). Staff will continue due diligence, refine appraisals, and pursue potential funding partners as described.