Land Acquisition Program

 

The Land Acquisition Program was approved by North Port City Commission in December 2025 to proactively identify and acquire environmentally sensitive lands for permanent conservation. The program is designed to preserve priority natural resources for long-term ecological protection.

Program purpose

The purpose of the Land Acquisition Program is to:

• Protect wetlands, floodplains and water resources

• Preserve wildlife habitat and ecological corridors

• Maintain natural buffers along rivers and waterways

• Reduce flood risk through protection of natural storage areas

• Enhance long-term environmental resilience

• Safeguard North Port’s natural character for future generations

Acquired parcels will be placed into permanent conservation status to ensure long-term protection.

How the program works

1. Potential parcels are identified through environmental analysis.

2. Properties are evaluated using the City’s Land Acquisition Scorecard, which assesses ecological value, water resource function, connectivity and strategic benefit.

3. If a parcel ranks highly and funding is available, the City may pursue appraisal and negotiations with a willing landowner.

4. Upon acquisition, the land is preserved for conservation purposes.

All acquisitions are voluntary and must follow City procurement and real estate procedures.

Eligibility criteria

While the City may proactively identify priority lands, parcels generally considered for acquisition should:

• Contain wetlands, floodplain or significant natural habitat

• Provide connectivity between conserved lands

• Support water quality or flood protection functions

• Be located within environmentally sensitive areas

• Align with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Conservation objectives

Properties must have clear title and be eligible for acquisition under municipal real estate policies.

Interactive conservation map

To promote transparency and community engagement, the City has created an interactive conservation map that complements this webpage. The map:

• Displays all protected lands within City limits

• Highlights City parks and preserved open space areas

• Identifies parcels acquired through the Land Acquisition Program as they are added

Users can select individual properties to view important details, including property name, acreage, acquisition date, funding source (if applicable) and conservation purpose or ecological value.

As the program progresses, newly acquired parcels be incorporated into the map, allowing residents to track the growth of North Port’s conservation network and to see how conservation investments are shaping and protecting the City’s environmental future.

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Interested property owners

The City of North Port Land Acquisition Program is a voluntary, willing-seller program. Property owners who believe their land may meet the program’s conservation criteria are encouraged to contact the Natural Resources Division to discuss potential eligibility.

Property owners interested in selling their property or residents who would like to nominate a parcel for consideration may contact:

Natural Resources Division
Phone: 941-429-7050
Email: NaturalResources@NorthPortFL.gov

City staff can provide information regarding program goals and evaluation criteria, the Land Acquisition Scorecard review process, appraisal and due diligence procedures and available conservation options (when applicable). All inquiries will be reviewed in accordance with the City’s established evaluation framework and funding availability.