Volusia County approves $20 million Riverbend Ranch purchase to add 1,300 acres to Volusia Forever

Volusia County Council voted unanimously May 5 to purchase Riverbend Ranch, a roughly 1,300‑acre property in Osteen with about two miles of frontage on the St. Johns River, using Volusia Forever funds.

The council approved a motion to complete the acquisition after residents and conservation groups urged the county to act. Brian White, a New Smyrna Beach resident, told the council Riverbend Ranch is “precisely the kind of property this program was built for” and urged the county to proceed while land is available. Melissa Thorn said the program buys “land is sacred,” and Joe Balog of Mighty River Recovery praised the acquisition for protecting fish and wildlife habitat.

The purchase drew consistent public support. Advocates said the parcel contains extensive wetlands and forest reserves, provides flood attenuation for Lake Jessup and Lake Harney, and would connect to existing conserved lands and corridors important for bears, panthers and other species. Daryl Carter, representing the landowner, indicated the owner supports the sale. County staff and council members described the per‑acre price as reasonable; Commissioner Don Dempsey praised staff for securing the land “for 15,000 and some change per acre.”

Councilman Danny Robbins moved to approve the purchase; Vice Chair Matt Reinhardt seconded. The vote was 7–0.

Why it matters: Volusia Forever is a voter‑approved land‑acquisition program intended to preserve environmentally sensitive lands. Supporters argued the Riverbend purchase conserves wetlands that help protect water quality and reduces future development pressure on riverfront and floodplain areas. Opponents raised questions about partnering with other agencies and whether sharing costs could free funds for additional acquisitions, but no council member opposed the motion.

What comes next: Staff will complete the purchase and integrate the parcel into Volusia Forever holdings for conservation and passive recreation in perpetuity unless the county later chooses otherwise. The council did not adopt a separate funding partnership at this meeting; several speakers and council members left open the option of future partnerships to leverage funds for additional purchases.