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RESOLUTION ACCEPTING �ASSIGNMENT OF OPTION TO PURCHASE� APPROXIMATELY 38.86 ACRES WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTALLY ENDANGERED LANDS PROGRAM COASTAL WETLANDS PROJECT WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AS ASSIGNOR, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AS ASSIGNEE, AND MASRI BLACKPOINT, LLC, AS SELLER, FOR A PURCHASE PRICE OF $971,000.00 TO BE FUNDED FROM BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FUNDS, WHICH ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE THE ASSIGNMENT OF OPTION TO PURCHASE, TO EXERCISE ALL PROVISIONS CONTAINED THEREIN, TO PERFORM ALL ACTS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THIS TRANSACTION, AND TO ACCEPT CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY BY GENERAL WARRANTY DEED; AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO RECORD SUCH DEED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS AND TO PROVIDE A RECORDED COPY TO THE CLERK OF THE BOARD WITHIN A TIME CERTAIN, AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO ATTACH AND STORE A RECORDED COPY OF SUCH INSTRUMENT WITH THIS RESOLUTION, PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. R-974-09

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:

Section 1. The foregoing recitals are incorporated in this resolution and are approved.

Section 2. This Board hereby accepts the Assignment of Option to Purchase, in substantially the form attached hereto as Attachment 1 and made part hereof, for purchase of approximately 38.86 acres of land from The Nature Conservancy, as Assignor, with Miami-Dade County, as Assignee, and Masri Blackpoint, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, as Seller,
for a purchase price of $971,000.00 to be funded from the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program funding under FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget and Multi-Year Capital Plan, Volume 3, Page 38, Program 5555621. The Board hereby authorizes the use of Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program funds for this purchase.

Section 3. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute the Assignment of Option to Purchase for and on behalf of Miami-Dade County, to exercise the provisions contained therein, to perform all acts necessary to effectuate this transaction, and to accept conveyance of said property by general warranty deed.

Section 4. This Board, pursuant to Resolution No. R-974-09, (a) directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to record the instrument of conveyance accepted herein in the Public Records of Miami-Dade County, Florida, and to provide a recorded copy of the instrument to the Clerk of the Board within thirty (30) days of execution of said instrument; and (b) directs the Clerk of the Board to attach and permanently store a recorded copy of said instrument together with this resolution.

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Date:

To: Honorable Chairman Anthony Rodriguez
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

From: Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor

Subject: Resolution Accepting Assignment of Option to Purchase Approximately 38.86 Acres within the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program Coastal Wetlands Project with Masri Blackpoint, LLC, as Seller, for a Purchase Price of $971,000.00

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Executive Summary
The Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) Environmentally Endangered Lands Program (EEL Program) seeks approval from the Board of County Commissioners (Board) to accept an Assignment of Option to Purchase, as negotiated by the Nature Conservancy, to acquire 38.86 acres of Coastal Wetlands formerly approved for acquisition by the Board, by and through the EEL Program. Masri Blackpoint, LLC, is the willing seller for a purchase price of $971,000.00. The property is located at SW 261 Street and SW 97 Avenue and is outside of the Urban Development Boundary (see Attachment A to the Mayor�s Memorandum). The County, in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District, the State of Florida and other funding partners, has acquired approximately 24,224 acres of land in Miami-Dade County since the inception of the EEL Program. The purpose of the EEL Program is to acquire, preserve, enhance, restore, conserve and maintain environmentally endangered lands for the benefit of present and future generations.

Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board accept the attached Assignment of Option to Purchase as negotiated by The Nature Conservancy for the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program and authorize the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute the Assignment of Option to Purchase and to exercise the provisions contained therein.

Scope
The EEL Program is countywide in nature. This acquisition is in Commission District 9, which is represented by Vice Chairman Kionne McGhee.

Delegation of Authority
The attached resolution authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute the Assignment of Option to Purchase for and on behalf of Miami-Dade County, to exercise the provisions contained therein, to perform all acts necessary to effectuate this transaction, and to accept conveyance of said property by general warranty deed.

Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
The total cost to the County of this land purchase is $971,000.00. Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond (BBC-GOB) Program funding under FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget and Multi-Year Capital Plan, Volume 3, Page 38, Program 5555621 Environmentally


Endangered Lands Program will be used for this purchase. As of Jan 31, 2026, the remaining balance under the Bond Program for allocations towards EEL acquisitions is $12,530,061.

Track Record/Monitor
The EEL Program Manager within the Department of Environmental Resources Management, Janet Gil, will monitor this contract.

Background
The historic loss, fragmentation, and degradation of native wetland and forest communities in Miami-Dade County are well recognized. In May 1990, with the knowledge that remaining wetland and forest communities were endangered, the electorate of Miami-Dade County authorized the County to levy an ad valorem tax for two years to create the EEL Program and Trust Fund. The purpose of the EEL Program is to acquire, preserve, enhance, restore, conserve and maintain environmentally-endangered lands for the benefit of present and future generations.

The Board placed the Black Point Wetlands on the Coastal Wetlands Acquisition Project on the EEL Priority A Acquisition List in 1996. The County, in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the State of Florida and other funding partners, has acquired approximately 24,225 acres of land in Miami-Dade County since the inception of the EEL Program through January 31, 2026.

The parcel proposed for acquisition is located within an important wetland system in the southern part of the County. The Black Point Wetlands EEL Preserve provides a contiguous buffer to Biscayne Bay and other County and SFWMD- owned public conservation lands that are part of a larger tract of protected coastal wetlands in Miami-Dade County. The parcel proposed for acquisition completes the acquisition of privately-held parcels in the Black Point Wetlands. It is characterized by high-quality mangrove wetlands and associated coastal ecosystems, which provide critical protections and benefits to residents and increase resilience of Miami-Dade County. These wetlands are also important to the endangered and threatened species of the region. Acquiring this parcel is also consistent with the Sea Level Rise Task Force Recommendations for the continued strategic implementation of the EEL Program.

The attached Assignment of Option to Purchase is for the following property:

SELLER: Masri Blackpoint, LLC

SIZE: Approximately 38.86 acres

FOLIO(S): 30-6028-000-0170

LOCATION: The property is located near SW 261 Street and SW 97 Avenue. The property is outside of the Urban Development Boundary (see Attachment A to the Mayor�s Memorandum).

PURCHASE PRICE: $971,000.00


APPRAISAL DATA: $972,000.00 (appraised July 2, 2025)
$970,000.00 (appraised July 17, 2025)


SALES HISTORY: Aug. 2007: Quitclaim Deed from Samih K. Masri, Individually and as Trustee of the Samih K. Masri Intervivos Trust to Masri Blackpoint LLC. Amount of $0 as indicated by Miami-Dade Property Appraiser. (OR 25862, pg. 1723)

Aug. 1997: Warranty Deed from Samih K. Masri and Laurisee K. Masri to The Laurisee K. Masri Trust. Amount of $0 as indicated by Miami-Dade Property Appraiser. (OR 17736, pg. 4325)






_______________________________
Roy Coley
Chief Utilities and Regulatory Services Officer