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School Board votes to buy 150 acres
By BARBARA BEHRENDT, Times Staff Writer INVERNESS -- First, School Board members were concerned about buying a huge tract that contained many acres of swamps. Then they questioned if they were paying too much for the property when they didn't have a master plan on how best to use it. On Tuesday, board members faced a final challenge. Should they spend $141,500 more for the land than the average appraisal said it was worth? But faced with a critical crowding problem at Crystal River High School and after being reminded by their attorney that the three key factors in real estate are "location, location, location," the board on Tuesday finalized the purchase of 150 acres next to Crystal River High. The board had previously agreed to offer the Tamposi family $1.2-million for the parcel, which runs east of the existing high school campus to Turkey Oak Drive and south to Crystal Street. But after seeking the two independent appraisals required by law for such a large purchase, the average was below the agreed-upon price. Board attorney Richard "Spike" Fitzpatrick said the land owner disputes the appraisals and refused to lower his asking price for the parcel, which is a large chunk of a previously planned community known as Betz Farm. The status of the remainder of the Betz Farm project and how the school district's purchase will affect that will be taken up at the Planning and Development Review Board next week. Fitzpatrick said there was some confusion on that application because it states that there are no immediate plans for the district to develop its new property and he said that is not true. In fact, school officials are already looking at moving some playing fields to the new site and beginning development of additional access roads. Once fields can be moved, there will be more space for parking, portable classrooms or other needs at the crowded campus. Additional road access has been a major issue and officials are looking at some sort of roadway from the school to Crystal Street fairly quickly and then later to Turkey Oak, Fitzpatrick said. Board members, who needed a "super majority" of a 4-1 vote to approve the purchase because of the higher price, asked superintendent David Hickey for a recommendation. He said the district's Long-Range Planning Committee had looked at the options and had identified the needs of the high school. "My recommendation because of the research that's been done is to move forward," Hickey said. With little further discussion, the board unanimously agreed to the purchase at $1.2-million.
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