Residents Fight To Save Conservation Parcel From Becoming Condos

DUNEDIN, FL — Resident Michelle Birnbaum calls it a "hidden gem." In fact, until recently, many Dunedin and Clearwater residents had no idea there were 144 untouched acres of endangered scrub habitat located just two miles from downtown Dunedin.

But Thursday night, for the fifth time in the past month, residents stood on the sidewalk at the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Keene Road waving signs to alert passersby of the imminent danger facing the conservation site.

Prior to her death in July, philanthropist Gladys Douglas-Hackworth expressed a desire that the two parcels she owned totaling 43.44 acres — part of a 144-acre scrub habitat — be placed in a trust and preserved in its natural state. In addition to the Douglas-Hackworth property, the 144 acres includes adjacent scrub habitat and the 31-acre Jerry Lake owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Despite Douglas-Hackworth's wishes, national home builder Pulte Homes has proposed purchasing the property for $14.5 million to build 130 condominiums. Pulte is currently conducting due diligence to determine whether to move forward with developing the property. The due diligence period ends Oct. 17.

Patch sent a request for comment from Pulte Homes but hasn't received a response.

In the meantime, the Suncoast Group of the Sierra Club posted an online petition urging the Dunedin City Commission and the Pinellas County Commission to honor Gladys Douglas Hackworth's request to preserve the property at 1900 Virginia Ave. N. On Friday, the club passed its original goal of 5,000 signatures, reaching 5,047. The Sierra Club is now seeking 7,500 signatures.

Additionally, representatives of Preserve the Douglas-Hackworth Property #SaveTheGDP, which has more than 1,000 members, will be on the corner of Virginia Avenue and Keene Road again Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. to continue to raise awareness of the conservation site. They also plan to attend the Oct. 6 Pinellas County Commission meeting to urge the county to purchase the property under the environmental land preservation program the county's had in place since 2000.

Following Douglas-Hackworth's death, the trust reached out to both the city and county to purchase the property, which was appraised at $11.73 million in 2018.

According to the office of Pinellas County Commission Dave Eggers, the county was in contact with the trust about purchasing the property when it learned that the trust was negotiating with Pulte Homes for a higher asking price.

"There are many properties throughout Pinellas County that we would like to remain as open space, but there are limited resources available to fund these purchases," said Eggers' executive aide, Kimberly H. Greenleaf. "We hope that the estate representatives will work with us on acquiring this property to fulfill the wishes of Gladys Douglas-Hackworth."

Birnbaum said the Douglas-Hackworth Property has more value as a conservation site than as a condominium development and believes the residents of Pinellas County would be willing to put Pennies for Pinellas tax funds toward the purchase.

There's also the possibility of obtaining funding from the SWFWMD and the Department of Environmental Protection's Forever Florida lands acquisition program.

"In Clearwater and Dunedin, there are few acres of undeveloped land accessible to the public," she said. "Philanthropist Gladys Douglas intended to leave the property in its natural state as a preserve, and we encourage (government officials) to find a solution so that her wish is fulfilled. There is not another natural area of this size in North Pinellas County.

"The loss of this habitat is inconceivable by responsible citizens and elected officials who understand the many values of biodiversity and nature in creating community," Birnbaum said. "This is a rare opportunity for Pinellas County to create a significant natural preserve, a wise and absolutely correct decision which will be widely celebrated."

Birnbaum said the property not only contains endangered scrub but is home to gopher tortoises, which are a protected species.

She said the Sierra Club was concerned to learn that the Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission is investigating Pulte Homes for conducting soil coring on the property without first obtaining a permit from the FWC, necessary for property inhabited by the gopher tortoise.

Birnbaum said the purchase of the property by the county, which lies in unincorporated Pinellas County, would be an investment that would benefit generations to come, noting that the county has budgeted $15 million to preserve property but has made no purchases since 2008.

Since adopting its environmental lands management program in 2000, Pinellas County has acquired 15 properties totaling more than 1,000 acres.

In contrast, Hillsborough County's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program, adopted in 1987, has acquired 28 environmentally sensitive property totaling 63,400 acres.

Pasco County's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program, adopted in 2004, has accumulated more than 5,000 acres of conservation lands.

The call to preserve the Douglas-Hackworth property has attracted a number of influential supporters including former Dunedin mayor and Gladys-Douglas Hackworth's stepson, Bob Hackworth.

"I want it preserved," he said. “It’s Old Florida and it’s quiet and it’s tranquil and it’s just special."

He said his stepmother had offers from a number of developers over the past two decades, and she always turned them down. He believes her desire to preserve the property should be respected.

First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin, one of the beneficiaries of the Douglas-Hackworth Trust, is also supporting the preservation of the property even if it means the church will forfeit funds from the proceeds of the sale of the property to a developer. In September, the church's governing board voted unanimously to support the purchase and preservation of the property by either the county or city commission.

Gladys Douglas-Hackworth was a longtime member of the church, serving as a junior high youth leaders for many years.

“While we are grateful for her generous bequest, we also want to honor her wishes, whether expressed in writing or verbally, and preserve a vital natural resource for the benefit of the whole community and the protection God’s good creation," said church pastor, the Rev. David Shelor.

“To have open green space for future generations, what could be more important than that?” said Dunedin Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski. “I think that preservation of land is one of the most important things we can do for the future generations of people who are going to live here."

"Dunedin has done a great job preserving green space, parks, coastline," said city commission candidate Mike Quill. "Our environment is our economy. It is the reason people visit and live here."

“There will never be an opportunity again to create a green space this large in Pinellas County’s history because of how built out we are. So this is an amazing opportunity,” said James Scott of the Sierra Club. “This is bellwether issue for conservation in Pinellas County. This special piece, slipping through the cracks, is an indicator of a problem in our conservation policy as a county.”

Among those who plan to be at the property Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. to wave signs is Nichole Mattheus, who started the Preserve the Douglas-Hackworth Property group.

"I initially became interested and started the Preserve the Douglas-Hackworth Property Facebook page because I wanted to protect the gopher tortoise habitat," Mattheus said. "Now it is more personal. Beyond my goal to protect the gopher tortoise species, I realized that we need a conservation plan in Pinellas County. Ecological gems like the GDP cannot continue to disappear. We must fight to save the pristine habitat that is left and budget adequate funding to do so."