Lakewood Ranch supervisors approve new revenue source

LAKEWOOD RANCH — When Ryan Heise helped negotiate a contract to buy land from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch to build a new maintenance facility to house his operations staff, he found the purchase price — and acreage — to be attractive.

Heise, the director of operations for Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, knew the five-acre property would exceed the space needed to support the $2 million facility, but he also predicted the extra space could present an opportunity.

“The thought was to purchase as much land as possible, knowing there would be a future use for it,” Heise said. “We would generate revenue until a time — when or if —Lakewood Ranch Operations needed to utilize the (extra) space.”

Lakewood Ranch Community Development District supervisors authorized an inter-local agreement Jan. 16 for their landscaping contractor, Down to Earth, to rent space at the facility; the deal represents a new revenue source for the districts.

“We already have a good relationship with Down to Earth, and this deal puts them closer to the property they take care of,” said Eva Rey, Lakewood Ranch Town Hall executive director. “And, now, we have new money coming in.”

The lease calls for Down to Earth, a Mount Dora-based company that provides landscape services to all of the CDDs, to pay $1,079 rent every month, plus utilities and common-area maintenance expenses. In total, the deal generates $1,500 per month in revenue for the districts.

Down to Earth will use a half-acre of the property to house a construction trailer for storing equipment. Personnel also will work out of the trailer. 

CDD 2 is listed as the landlord on the lease, because the district financed the maintenance facility. Lease revenue will be distributed to districts based on the size and number of residential units within each district. 

The contract, which begins Feb. 1, runs through September 2016 with automatic renewals tied to the districts’ maintenance contract with Down to Earth.

In other business:
All CDDs:
• The districts honored Steve Zielinski, chief financial officer, for six years of service.

CDD 1:
• The board authorized Supervisor June Stroup to fill in for Supervisor Allan Roth, the district’s Inter-District Authority (IDA) representative, when he cannot attend IDA meetings.

CDD 2 & 5:
• CDDs 2 and 5 have committed to placing yellow plastic markers in the middle of various curved roads to better guide residents. Staff is reviewing three bids for the work.

• CDD 2 board members voted to renew their contract with US Securities Inc. The contract carries a 3% cost increase.

CDD 5:
• Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Director of Operations Ryan Heise checked on a small irrigation line leak on Legacy Boulevard Jan. 16. He did not expect repairs to be extensive.

CDD 6:
• Zielinski revealed the district recouped lost money and increased its fund balance to $151,000.

IDA:
• The May 6 budget workshop was changed from 9 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].