Water district to hold virtual Public Meeting, July 26, on land management plans
The Southwest Florida Water Management District will hold a virtual public meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, to discuss updates to several of the water district’s land management plans. The purpose of this meeting is to inform the public about updates to these plans, solicit input from stakeholders, and incorporate feedback from the public and stakeholders into the development of the new 10-year plans.
The land management plans to be updated include:
• Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County, Florida
• Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County, Florida
• Edward W. Chance Reserve – Coker Prairie Tract and Gilley Creek Tract in Manatee County, Florida
• Little Manatee River - Southfork Tract in Manatee County, Florida
• Potts Preserve in Citrus County, Florida
Members of the public may participate in the meeting via Microsoft Teams at https://bit.ly/DistrictLands. More information and virtual comment submission is available at WaterMatters.org/UpdatedLandPlans. All proposed plans will be posted one week before the public meeting (around July 19, 2022).
The water district adopts land management plans, to ensure its public conservation lands are being managed in ways that are consistent with Florida Statutes and the water district’s mission. Water district lands are acquired to preserve and protect water resources and natural systems and to also provide public access for recreation.
Water district policy requires that management plans for water district-owned conservation lands be reviewed and updated every 10 years, unless otherwise directed by the water district’s governing board. Water district lands are open to the public. Community input is vital in determining how these lands are managed and used.