Sexton offers tours if Indian River County buys rights

Date: Februry 10, 2007
By Henry A. Stephens
henry.stephens@scripps.com

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY- Residents who want to see the Ralph Sexton family's 462-acre cattle ranch could call Sexton's son - if the county buys development rights to the pioneer family's spread.

The elder Sexton made that offer Friday, saying ranch manager Sean Sexton would give a personal tour to callers. That was to replace a provision for two scheduled birdwatchers' and school outings a year, as members of the county Land Acquisition Advisory Committee - which reviews possible land purchases - wavered from prior support of the proposal.

In a 10-4 vote, the committee recommended the county spend $12 million of environmental-cultural bonds for development rights to the more than 60-year-old ranch on 82nd Avenue. The action would place a conservation easement on the spread, preventing the Sextons or future owners from ever turning it into housing.

Supporters hail the property for its preserved pine flatwoods, wetlands and other features of Old Florida amid the cattle operation. Critics admire it, too - but not at $12 million for something the public won't own.

"It seems public access is the big bug-a-boo," Sexton said.

He agreed to increase public access after a phone call, but said he would oppose unrestricted access. That could lead to people wandering the ranch and leaving gates open.

Any cattle that escape could pose a danger to the public and end in a personal-injury lawsuit against him, he said.

RANCH DETAILS

Size: About 462 acres.

Location: Both sides of 82nd Avenue, north and south of 37th Street, about 1 1/4 miles north of State Road 60.

Zoning: Agriculture, one home per 5 acres.

Owners: Ralph Sexton Revocable Trust and Ranch Management Consultants Inc., of which he is president.

OPINIONS

Pros

• "You can't compare the Sexton ranch with the lands around it. Are they historic? No. Are they unique? No. Do they have endangered species?
  
  
• Doubtful." - Toni Robinson, committee member
  
  
• "This land has viable, sustainable agriculture - much more so than the surrounding citrus groves." - Bob Adair, citrus researcher

Cons

• "Buy properties, not development rights. Stop before this becomes a precedent. The result will be landowners getting millions while the county taxpayers get not much." - Bill Becker, chairman of the Vero Beach Finance Commission
  
  
• "It seems to me there's not enough bang for the buck. When you spend this much money this close to the urban area, it's important to have access." - Judy Orcutt, committee member

PROJECT UPDATE

• The County Commission last month delayed final action on the purchase, requesting the February 2006 appraisals, an average $19.4 million, be updated in light of slumping real estate sales since then.
  
  
• But the new appraisals, an average $17.8 million, weren't as much of a decrease as some Land Acquisition Advisory Committee members had hoped. Judy Orcutt, Andrea Coy, Adam Bolinger and Talmage Rogers all dissented in Friday's vote.
  
  
• The County Commission is scheduled Feb. 20 to continue its consideration of the deal.

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