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County Facing Steep Cost For Britt Road Repair Land Deal

    Lake County Commissioners used words like ‘asinine’ and ‘outrageous’  to describe a proposed land deal that would open the door to rebuilding Britt Road during Tuesday’s meeting of the board, but they also used words like ‘opportunity’ and ‘potential win-win’.  Such is the debate over the complex issues involved with rebuilding the east Lake County road that has been closed since last fall when heavy rains associated with Hurricane Milton washed out a section of the road.
    County manager Jennifer Barker on Tuesday brought to the commission a proposed land purchase agreement with John Brautcheck, who owns property along the section of road that was damaged.  The deal calls for the county to purchase six acres at the washout, running from the road down a steep grade to a lake.  Brautcheck is seeking $675,000 for the land, along with a variety of other concessions including fence installation and future maintenance, shoreline restoration, a non-refundable deposit, county assigning development rights to the land after it buys it to Brautcheck, county responsibilities regarding removal of an invasive plant species on the property, and more.
    The proposal drew strong response from commissioners Kirby Smith and Tim Morris.
    “Outrageous.” Smith said, describing the $112,000 per acre price for land of which the county doesn’t need to repair the road.  Morris advocated for simply leaving the road closed.
    “Put concrete barriers up,”  he said, adding that residents in the area are happy that the small road, which has grown very busy in recent years, has limited access.  “I don’t think the residents want it.”
    Kirby Smith asked for more options, saying the current proposal was “absolutely asinine.”
    "I'm not in favor of this," he said.  "Can't we just fix the hole in the road and be done with this thing?"
    The answer from public works staff was no, as the county has very little right right way in the area.  In fact, department director Fred Schneider indicated the county doesn’t have a deed to the roadway, that it has operated under a prescriptive road situation for decades.  Schnieder said Brautcheck claims ownership of land - in some areas - just a few feet off the pavement, making it difficult to impossible to undertake any roadwork in the area without being on private property.
    Brautcheck reportedly is unwilling to sell a smaller amount of land to the county.  It has been estimated about three acres would be required to slightly shift the road as is needed to get onto property right of way, add runoff mitigation in the very steep area, and build the road to current specifications.
    Left with the option of purchasing the land, entering eminent domain proceedings which could add years to the project, or simply leaving the road closed, commissioners Leslie Campione, Sean Parks, and Anthony Sabatini moved to continue negotiations with Brautcheck with hopes of reducing some of the additional conditions.
    "We've lost this north/south corridor," said commission chair Leslie Campione in advocating for the deal. Campione said the closure of Britt Road has placed additional burden on the transportation system in the area that is only going to get worse.  She also said the costs associated with litigation would far outpace the costs associated with purchasing the land.
    Additionally, she sees the potential in having the land for public use.
    “This could serve a valid public use,” she said, voicing ideas of hiking trails and more on the property. “It’s very unique.”
    Parks agreed, calling the potential of the property acquisition a 'win-win' in the long term.
    “I know the price is high,” said Sabatini, while agreeing that the land deal is likely the best path forward.
    In the end, the majority moved to have staff continue negotiations with Brautcheck in hopes of removing some conditions associated with the purchase.