Sometimes the one with the most money doesn't win.
Case in point: St. Petersburg's announcement this morning that it will buy 10 acres of golf course land adjacent to Boyd Hill Nature Park. Two years ago, juggernaut developer Taylor Morrison had offered the St. Petersburg Country Club $3.2 million for the land, but the deal fell through due to lack of city support, among other things. The city later successfully offered $1.1 million, with the stated intention of making the land a permanent park of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve.
So naturally, Wednesday's cheer was long in the making.
As the Beatles tune "Good Day Sunshine" played over the P.A., St. Petersburg's Mayor Rick Kriseman, Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin, and City Councilman Steve Kornell took took the stage among the trees inside Boyd Hill Nature Preserve.
Had the developer — and not the city — successfully bought the land, the gopher tortoises, birds, and alligators that call Boyd Hill home would see 100 town homes at the edge of the preserve.
Now, these 10 acres will have the same zoning restrictions as Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. As part of the city park, it would require a voter referendum before any changes can take place.
On the other side of the preserve, the city declared the 25-acre golf course a conservation easement. While that designation doesn't prevent the golf course from using fertilizers or pesticides and the land may only be used as an open recreation area; the zoning will also not allow for development. Kornell described the easement as a "critical buffer zone" that would allow for continued management of the preserve.
This brings the total acreage of the south St. Petersburg park to 245 acres, not including the 25-acre easement. The city used money from the sale of Weeki Wachee to fund the land purchase .
Kornell, the councilman for the area, praised not only the city's park staff, but the city real estate office for their role in negotiating the deal.
"We are very pleased with the price we are paying," Kriseman agreed.
Boy Hill Nature Preserve supervisor Barbara Stalbird told CL she was "relieved and supported."
"It is in a very significant place that adds to the protection of the preserve itself," Stalbird said of the acquisition.
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2015.