Northpinellas: Wildlife corridor plan might have new ally

Wildlife corridor plan might have new ally

Starkey family representatives say they would forgo development on their portion of the area if the price is right.

By JAMES THORNER

Starkey family representatives say they would forgo development on their portion of the area if the price is right.

A Pasco-Pinellas county effort to cobble together an unbroken wildlife corridor between Brooker Creek Preserve and Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park might have gained a new convert.

Earlier this year, the Starkey family, owners of 3,000 acres north of State Road 54, derided the corridor as unworkable.

But in a meeting last week to discuss the corridor, the Starkeys said they were willing to forgo development on their part of the proposed corridor if the price were right.

The sale of a "conservation easement" across hundreds of Starkey acres would allow the ranching family to continue raising cattle on the property.

While not as ideal as forest, agricultural land is sparsely developed enough to allow the passage of deer, bear and other animals.

The Starkeys made their offer through the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which will play a central role in buying any corridor.

Although buying an easement is cheaper than buying land outright, Swiftmud has yet to determine what price to offer the Starkeys, said Mike Mahagan, a land acquisition specialist with the water agency.

To complete the corridor between Brooker in Pinellas and the Starkey park in Pasco, wildlife proponents still need land from the Trinity development south of SR 54 and the Crocker ranch in northwest Hillsborough County.

"We're in the real estate sales business," said Dan Aldridge, a vice president with Trinity developers. "If something has been undeveloped it's for sale whether its U.S. Home, Pasco County or whatever."

At a Tuesday workshop to discuss Pasco County's slowly maturing wildlife preservation plan, Pasco Administrator John Gallagher apprised county commissioners of progress on the corridor.

Gallagher said the goal is to let developers mitigate any wetlands they destroy by paying for land in the wildlife corridor.

But Mahagan said the great unknown is whether Swiftmud can accumulate enough cash from that source to buy out the Starkeys and Trinity.

Pasco proposes helping finance the corridor through wetlands replacement for its Ridge Road Extension project.