OLD FLORIDA — Oak trees line the shore of Lake Dias on Vanacore’s 493-acre parcel. His property is reminiscent of life before construction and building. This land could be preserved for future generations if acquisition for Volusia Forever is approved.
Local resident Scott Vanacore is moving forward on turning a 493-acre lot in DeLeon Springs into a Volusia Forever project. An initial plan was accepted unanimously May 31 by the Volusia Forever Advisory Committee.
Volusia Forever was created in 2000 by a vote of the county residents. It’s a program that acquires and improves environmentally sensitive lands for conservation. The program, renewed in the 2020 election for another 20 years, is funded by a .2 mills tax.
For acreage to qualify as conservation land, a candidate submits an application to the Volusia Forever Advisory Committee for approval. Vanacore’s land cleared this first hurdle.
Next, members of the committee and employees from Volusia Forever will visit the property to perform a variety of checks to ensure the property is actually in compliance. After completion, the land is sorted into the A group or the B group. Group A is the group that is in full compliance with qualifications.
Robby Doyle, a member of Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc. (an advisory group and real estate agency that represents Vanacore) and expert in Volusia Forever conservation regulations, explained where Vanacore is in the process.
“Today, we proudly have three separate properties on Volusia Forever’s “A” list, and we are actively working with the Vanacores to add their ranch to this list,” Doyle said.
The committee then will offer the landowner a dollar figure to acquire the development rights to said land.
The land
Vanacore’s property sits near Lake Caraway along the bank of Lake Dias off of State Road 11 in north DeLeon Springs. The property was acquired by Vanacore for $5.6 million from the Strawn family in 2021.
Vanacore offered The Beacon an inside look at the rural property. During our exploration of the property, we saw signs of a thriving environment. Vanacore had feeders for the local deer population and explained to us that he “doesn’t hunt” the property and that it is a “sanctuary” for local wildlife. Along for the ride was county chair hopeful Randy Dye.
(Dye is currently in the running, and has more than $272,000 in his campaign war chest, compared to Jeff Brower’s $30,670, and candidate Don Burnette’s nearly $23,000.)
The Vanacore property has lush foliage, green grasses, and nature in Volusia County at its finest. The property is home to many different species of birds, as well as deer and tortoises. Most importantly is the longleaf pine ecosystem.To develop, or conserve
Previously, the community of DeLeon Springs was wary of Vanacore’s ownership of the land due to his previous ventures in home development. Vanacore’s development projects include business centers and residential subdivisions in Ormond Beach.
“Word spread quickly through the community that I was going to develop because of my work in the past,” Vanacore said. “[But] it’s important to conserve this land and not fill it with homes.”
Vanacore believes the community judged him too soon.
“Even though we are developers, we are conscious of people’s thoughts,” he said. “We like to keep this in mind.”
The idea of turning the land over to Volusia Forever was prompted by Dye, Vanacore said. “He [Dye] suggested we look into conservation.”
“This is a legacy decision, not a business decision; it’s about passion. It’s not always making money,” Dye said.
Vanacore is a Volusia County resident whose parents have been here since the late 1950s. He explained that he’s been passionate about construction since he was a child.
“I was that kid where cement trucks were going up and down the road and I had my Tonka truck and I thought, I want to be that guy,” Vanacore said.
Vanacore added that he will listen to any feedback given from the Volusia Forever board and he’s looking into making the acreage a wildlife sanctuary.
Word of the conservation project spread to the DeLeon Springs Community Association, an advocacy group for the citizens of DeLeon Springs. The group ultimately wrote a letter to the Volusia Forever board in favor of Vanacore’s ideas.
“The members of the DeLeon Springs Community Association Inc. urge you to direct your view toward preserving this area of Volusia County that is quickly becoming a greater target for development, as growth continues to march ever northward,” the letter reads.
“We are so excited,” Amy Munizzi, president of the DeLeon Springs Community Association told The Beacon. “Randy Dye was able to connect Vanacore to Volusia forever for us — it’s a win win for everyone involved.”.
Under the current timeline, it could be less than a year from when Vanacore will receive an official offer from Volusia County for his property. In that time, he has the option of backing out of the deal.
