Volusia Forever to purchase four acres of environmentally sensitive land.

Written by Kristen Schmutz 

Belden Communications News 

$405,000 in Volusia Forever funds were approved on Tuesday by the Volusia County Council to purchase the four-acre Doan property. The property is at 3234 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach, surrounded by the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, which Volusia County currently manages.

According to a release, the property has been on the County’s high-priority acquisition list since 2009, during its original submission to Volusia Forever. The acquisition has significant environmental benefits, such as preserving the natural floodplain for flood control and protection, protecting water quality in Spruce Creek, and maintaining the natural hydrology and native ecological communities. This land provides 650 feet of water access along Murray Creek, a tributary of Spruce Creek. Providing water access was identified as a top priority for residents who completed the 2022 ECHO Quality of Life Survey.

“The County has been looking to purchase this property for more than a decade, and we are glad to see it come to fruition. This acquisition has ecological benefits and will enhance the quality of life for our residents by providing additional learning and recreational opportunities,” said Resource Stewardship Director Bradley Burbaugh. 

The County's acquisition of the property will protect and preserve our most precious resource, water. Plans for the land will provide even more recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy, like a canoe/kayak launch, a wildlife observation area, an outdoor classroom, and connectors to allow for public access to an additional 52 acres of conservation land, with a new nature trail and disc golf course.