IMAGE VIA CFX
The South Florida Water Management District voted unanimously on June 15 to release conservation easements from about 55.5 acres of land in Orange and Osceola counties to make way for State Road 534. The vote marks another step toward building the contentious toll road through Split Oak Forest.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission previously approved releasing easements from 60 acres within the forest in May 2024.
Split Oak Forest is a 1,700-acre protected natural area set aside for conservation 32 years ago. The land was supposed to be protected “in perpetuity,” or forever, according to the conservation easements, which are legally binding agreements that restrict land use.
CFX is also seeking about 24 additional acres of environmentally sensitive land in Orange County, including nearly 3 acres within Eagles Roost, a protected county property. An eminent domain lawsuit filed by CFX against Orange County over that land is pending.
CFX has offered to preserve and enhance about 1,800 acres of nearby lands, including 256 acres of the KPB Cattle Ranch in Osceola County, as mitigation for the land it needs.
Of 66 people who submitted comments or spoke at the meeting, the vast majority opposed the releases. Only 5 supported them.
