Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Tour of Stick Marsh

[Anonymous]

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/aug/09/ ... stern-agr/

Indian River commissioner leading tour of western agricultural lands

FELLSMERE — Members of the public can join a caravan Friday, led by two vans of Indian River County and city officials, and become more familiar with the often-discussed agricultural lands west of the Urban Service Area.

County Commissioner Wesley Davis, who has invited his city and county colleagues on a daylong tour of western lands, Thursday said the public can join them — if they have their own transportation.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have enough airboats or van space for everyone, but where we stop, everyone is welcome,” Davis said Thursday.

The elected leaders are scheduled to meet to board vans at 7 a.m. Friday at the Old Fellsmere School, 22 S. Orange St., for a visit to the sculling facility off Babcock Street, the Stick Marsh, Blue Cypress Lake, the Presley Ranch and the Corrigan Ranch.

Details of the agricultural lands tour http://web.tcpalm.com/2007/08/09/0809tourinvite.pdf
For details, call Davis’ assistant, Misty Pursel, at 226-1442.

 

[Capt Jeff]

Interesting!!!

The City of Fellsmere is currently in the process of grabbing up as much land as possible to expand their borders.

A meeting between the Cities of Fellsmere & Palm Bay took place last month were many issues like water & density were discussed.

PB will soon be supplying water to Fellsmere.

As one PB official put it, "In 20 years, you won't be able to tell were PB ends & Fellsmere starts."

It's my understanding that once Fellsmere annexes the lands that are 1-5 & 1-10 home sites that the comprehensive plan will be changed to increase density for "developments."

Many folks along the C507 corridor in IRC have already been approached for annexation & by-outs.

Sounds like an attempted "land grab" for "greenspace."

Anything to increase a developments density. :wink:

Maybe the should ask SJRWMD, they seemed to want to give the marsh away to PB last year!!! :shock:

 

[Ms. Wizard]

I will shoot Bill Myers an email with this info. He's with the Indian River County Airboat Club.

dawn

 

[Anonymous]

I think someone was asleep at the switch on this one . . . .

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/aug/11/ ... st-county/

Guided tour reveals wild, wild west of Indian River County

By Henry A. Stephens
Saturday, August 11, 2007


FELLSMERE — There's nothing like seeing things in person, Indian River County Commissioner Wesley Davis said Friday — especially when you could be voting on the fate of thousands of acres of conservation land.
Davis led about 30 Indian River county and city officials and some residents Friday on a tour of various often-discussed agricultural lands in the west two-thirds of the county, including Blue Cypress Lake, the Stick Marsh and Fellsmere Farms.

"It think it's important not to be thinking in abstract terms when you can be more visually informed," he said.
The western area has become a hot political topic as Fellsmere annexes county agricultural areas. The city recently took in 18,000 acres owned by Fellsmere Joint Venture, prompting a court challenge by the Sebastian City Council.

Joining Davis were fellow Commissioner Peter O'Bryan; most of the Fellsmere City Council; mayors or vice mayors of Sebastian, Orchid, Indian River Shores and Vero Beach; county planning commissioners; and Fellsmere Joint Venture representatives.
Fellsmere Mayor Sara Savage often acted as tour guide, pointing out the various places she recalled from childhood and the ways they have changed.
For instance, she said, what is now covered partly with Sun-Ag's orange trees and partly by restored marsh waters used to be a family's private horse racing track.
• Former Fellsmere Mayor Joel Tyson asked the group to think of the future instead of the past. Standing on the south bank of the C-54 Canal, which divides Brevard and Indian River counties, he promoted a multimillion-dollar project to create a facility for competitive rowers, or scullers.
And to make it happen, he said, he is pursuing state and federal aid.
• Greg Nelson, head of Fellsmere Joint Venture, showed how his citrus cooperative has begun uprooting invasive Brazilian peppers on a 2,000-acre parcel it got in trade in March from the St. Johns River Water Management District — and recently annexed into Fellsmere.
• Gary Presley, owner of an 11,000-acre ranch, said he has no plans to do anything with his land but raise cattle, grow sod and lease out hunting areas.
But Presley won't own it forever, Davis said, and said he would like this piece of "Old Florida" preserved by transferring its development rights to other areas.
ON THE WATER
• Hector Herrera, a project manager with the St. Johns River Water Management District, led an airboat tour of the Stick Marsh and Blue Cypress Lake. He pointed out a "canal plug," a barrier of earth placed in the marsh a few years ago to improve the fishery by keeping its canals from draining too much.
• Jeanne Middleton, co-owner of Middleton Fish Camp on the lake, pointed out one effect of the canal plug. Without the marsh draining into Blue Cypress as before, she said, the lake is low and boats can't make it out to fish.
• The Stick Marsh, so named for the trees that grew there before St. Johns flooded it, has proven to be a bass-fishing bonanza, airboat Capt. Bob Montuoro said. Still, he said, he would rather catch a dozen fish in the natural Blue Cypress Lake than two dozen in the big, square manmade Stick Marsh.