South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Agricultural Reserve drawing interest
As available land dwindles, some worry about development
Dwindling land supply in South Florida has forced developers to get creative with where and how they build as the region deals with a severe housing shortage.
The few remaining plots of vacant land that remain are typically golf courses or farmland, which often must undergo a lengthy process to be approved for housing.
Such is the case with the Agricultural Reserve, a large swath of farmland in Palm Beach County, bordered by Hypoluxo Road and Clint Moore Road, with Florida’s Turnpike on the east and the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge on the west.
Leaders throughout South Florida are looking for solutions to the affordability crisis, as housing prices increase more than 20% and many people are priced out of the rental market too. Could building in the Agricultural Reserve, some of the last remaining vacant land in Palm Beach County, provide an answer?
What is the Agricultural Reserve?
Formally created in 1980, the Agricultural Reserve spans about 22,000 acres of land mainly in unincorporated areas of Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. The intent was to “preserve unique farmland and wetlands in order to enhance agricultural activity, environmental and water resources, and open space,” with strict regulations on what type of residential development could be built there and an emphasis on preserving the natural land.
Through the years, the limits for how much can be built on Agricultural Reserve land have changed, often allowing more development to occur in the area. Currently, Palm Beach County Commissioners have the 60/ 40 rule in place to protect land in the reserve: 60% of the land must be preserved, while the remaining 40% can be developed.
The reserve’s land supply is currently divided up as follows, according to a 2021 snapshot from Palm Beach County:
■ 58% (12,839 acres) is preserved land (agricultural, natural/conservation, or other preserve uses)
■ 27% (6,039 acres) is residential land
■ 3% (761 acres) is nonresidential land
■ 3% (652 acres) is other use (right of way, canals)
There is a remaining 8% of potential open land, about 1,700 acres, left for developers to populate.
The future of the AG reserve
For developers, the reserve would seem to pose a lucrative option at a time when vacant land is almost nonexistent in South Florida.
“Developers want and need undeveloped land. But not every parcel of land in Florida needs to be developed,” said Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, who represents District 6 in Palm Beach County.
The ideal end goal of the AG Reserve should be to continue to preserve the
agricultural land as much as possible while allowing housing, said Commissioner Maria Sachs, who represents the area.
“We certainly need housing, but I would like to see it built in such a way that preserves the uniqueness of the Agricultural Reserve,” she said. “It would be nice to see mixed-used housing developments with agricultural fields, where people could use it to grow their own fruits and vegetables.”
The Agricultural Reserve shouldn’t be used to solve the housing crisis, McKinlay added.
”The reserve will never be the answer for solving Florida’s housing crisis. It was designed to limit development,” she said. “We’ll continue to see new homes constructed here, but it is and should remain capped.”
Some environmentalist groups worry about the possible fate of the Agricultural Reserve as GL Homes, one of the largest homebuilders in the area, is awaiting approval this year from the county on a possible land swap deal: to trade in 1,600 acres the company owns in Loxahatchee to build 1,250 homes on agricultural land in the reserve.
“If they approve this land swap that is proposed, I believe the protections within the AG Reserve, this will be the first domino to fall,” said Lisa Interlandi, executive director with the Everglades Law Center, a nonprofit law firm focusing on environmental and landuse issues. “The rest of the Ag Reserve will follow. It will be the first instance of preserving land elsewhere to build there, but it won’t be the last.”
On Thursday, GL Homes declined to comment for this story.
The effect on wildlife and farmlands
The reserve has about 6,059 acres designated as agricultural lands, or farms, and about 6,193 acres of natural or conservation land, according to numbers from a 2021 report from the county.
For agriculture, the main crops grown are peppers, tomatoes and leafy greens, according to Keith N. Alexander, Agricultural Appraisal Services department manager with Palm Beach County. The reserve also has a number of plant nurseries and equestrian facilities.
Proponents of keeping most of the Agricultural Reserve protected point to the farmland and how it serves as a buffer to the Everglades. Not only does it supply vegetables to a large part of the county in the winter season, Interlandi said, but also too much development in the reserve could start to impact its wildlife.
“Generally, agricultural land is considered less impactful than residential development on natural systems,” Interlandi said.
The GL Homes land swap proposal is scheduled to go before the Palm Beach County Commission on Aug. 31.
Many South Floridians are facing housing challenges because of the dramatic rise in both rent and home prices. In response, the South Florida Sun Sentinel is launching a new column to address readers’ concerns about affordability. Send your questions and concerns to housing@ sunsentinel.com.