Sarasota County to buy 4.38 acres in Venice for conservation

Sarasota County is purchasing 4.38 acres in Venice through its Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program. Since the program began in 1999, the county has protected 91 properties containing more than 40,000 acres through land purchases and conservation easements.

The Venice property is on Lemon Bay Drive and is predominantly mangrove swamp with some mesic hammocks and remnant scrub habitat, according to a statement from Sarasota County. Brown pelican, roseate spoonbill, little blue heron, gopher tortoises, and green and brown anoles are among the species that call the area home. The land is south of Shamrock Park on Lemon Bay and across the intracoastal waterway from Caspersen Beach Park.

While the purchase price is $350,000, an additional $93,150 will go toward closing costs, due diligence, start-up activities and improvements, so Sarasota county commissioners appropriated $443,150 for the project during a recent meeting. According to county documents, the seller is Skip Berg of Venice, who is an attorney.

The deal has been months in the making, and the acquisition is expected to be complete by December, according to the statement from Sarasota County.

The Environmentally Sensitive Lands Oversight Committee discussed the site at its April 6 meeting and decided to move forward with pursuing the acquisition.

Next, the Sarasota County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution at their July 9 meeting to buy the property through the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program. 

According to county documents, in addition to wildlife and plant habitat, the site includes a boardwalk and dock that will be evaluated for repairs, replacement and use. Possible improvements include small picnic shelters, parking and a wildlife viewing area.

Each year from fiscal years 2025 through 2028, the county is budgeting $3,000 for project management and $13,125 for construction related to the Lemon Bay property. Money will come from the Environmentally Sensitive Land fund.