Conservation, parks referendum could return to Manatee County ballot in 2026

Come November, voters could be faced with another decision regarding how much they want to spend to conserve land in Manatee County. 

In 2020, residents overwhelmingly passed the Conservation and Parks Referendum with 71% of voters in favor of being taxed an additional .15 mills and allowing Manatee County to bond up to $50 million to acquire land “to protect drinking water sources and water quality, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, prevent stormwater runoff pollution and provide parks.” 

Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit founded in 1972, helped Manatee County get the referendum on the ballot in 2020. On Jan. 6, commissioners voted to request additional assistance from the nonprofit because funds are running low. 

Out of the approved $50 million, $35 million already has been bonded, and the rest could be expended by the end of the year.

Following the last tax collection in 2025, $26,301,345 had been collected but $10,378,552 had been spent on environmental lands and $8,389,511 had been spent on transfers to the capital improvement plan and to debt service on the bonds.

Crooked River Ranch is an example of why funds are transferred to the CIP. Restrooms, trails, a fishing pier and observation tower are being built to make the property a public amenity. 

The 68-acre ranch in Parrish was the first property Manatee County purchased under the referendum. 

Because TPL is a nonprofit organization, the assistance is free to the county.

Will Abberger, vice president and director of Conservation Finance for TPL, said the assistance will begin with feasibility research. During the research phase, TPL is looking at the finance mechanisms available to the county to continue its conservation efforts. 

The team is seeking answers to the following questions: Should additional bonds be authorized, and should the millage stay at the same rate?

Since voters approved the .15 mill increase, any change would have to also be approved by voters.

After the feasibility study is presented to commissioners, TPL will hire a professional pollster to survey Manatee County voters to get an idea if they’re on the right track for approval. 

Commissioners have to approve placing the referendum on the ballot. Abberger said the deadline to get on the ballot is in August, but the hope is to go before commissioners well in advance of that deadline. 

“I think 2026 is the perfect year to try this again,” Commissioner George Kruse said. “We’re out of money, and there’s a lot of opportunity. We’re stepping over big opportunities.” 

Kruse’s point was that recent low-dollar purchases, such as the addition of 4.5 acres to Rye Preserve for $335,000, are not “moving the needle.” Moving the needle, in Kruse's view, requires buying 1,000 acres or creating a wildlife corridor.

“Tripling the size of Rye Preserve, that’s what makes the real quality of life impact,” he said. “We don’t have the capital to do that, so it’s not even on our radar to consider.”

Abberger noted that education plays a large role in passing any referendum. When involving taxes, the case has to be made to voters the money will be well spent. In Manatee County’s case, voters have to believe that the first round of money was well spent, too.

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

To date, Manatee County has protected just over 300 acres of land across six purchases that cost about $72.5 million. That number is more than has been collected or spent because of state and federal grants. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the county $5 million toward the $11.2 million purchase of Crooked River Ranch.

Palmetto’s Mason Gravley is the chair for Manatee County’s Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Advisory Committee. He encourages all residents to attend ELMAC meetings to learn more. 

Meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of odd numbered months at the Manatee County Administration Building at 1112 Manatee Avenue. 

Gravley also noted that there are seats available on the committee, which was unanimous in its recommendation to engage TPL to seek additional funding for the program.

“Say a landowner in East County wants to protect 5,000 acres of land and we’re out of money,” Gravley said. “We want to be able to have the space to make those kind of moves in the near future.”