DEBARY, Fla. — City leaders, researchers, and others are teaming up to preserve 170 acres on the St. Johns River from development.

An enthusiastic DeBary City Council last week took a key step to protect the waterfront property, approving a resolution asking for acquisition through the Florida Forever land-preservation program.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” DeBary Mayor Karen Chasez said October 21.

DeBary City Council members unanimously approved a resolution to team up with a nonprofit research group, Aquatic Preserve Alliance of Central Florida, to apply for the acquisition this month.

The goal is to have state officials include the parcel on a list of top-priority acquisition projects during a December meeting.

“It is a spectacular piece of property. We have this unique opportunity to preserve it and also partner with research and water quality (experts) in tracking the health of this river,” Chasez added. “I think this is a win, win, win kind of situation.”

The owner, Thomas S. Recicar Trust, is offering to sell the land for $3.9 million, said DeBary City Manager Carmen Rosamonda.

The property, along with an adjacent parcel to the north, was approved for 250 homes under a plan dating back to 2007. But the project, known as Riverbend on the St. Johns River, never materialized. It also went by the name Country Estates at River Bend.

Critics tried to stop the project before DeBary approved it in April 2007, saying new residents would generate more boat traffic and increase threats to manatees in the St. Johns River.

The owners kept the plan alive over the years by getting previous DeBary city council members to extend development timetables and make other adjustments.

The existing plan, established in 2010, is a partnership between the trust and River Ranch Holdings, the owner of roughly 100 adjacent acres to the north.

The acquisition of the 170-acre parcel known as Riverbend South for preservation and research would sever the development partnership, Rosamonda said in a staff analysis.

The owner of the 100-acre parcel would have to redo its development plan or explore other options.

Riverbend South, with access to Fort Florida Road, has limited development potential. Only 20 of the 170 acres are high enough for development.

Under DeBary’s new vision, the Aquatic Preserve Alliance of Central Florida would get enough space for a research and educational center on Riverbend South. The center’s size hasn’t been decided. It would be the first center of its kind in Florida located on a fresh water body, supporters say. Other centers are near bodies of salt water.

A unique feature of Riverbend South is a 20-foot wide berm along the waterfront, offering views of the St. Johns River and Wekiwa Springs State Park.

The 2-mile-long berm is composed of river-bottom sand dredged up in the 1950s by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The agency was trying to straighten the river for commercial traffic.

DeBary officials say the berm is in good condition and could provide the backbone for a riverfront biking trail with spots for picnics and fishing. That trail would connect to others, including regional connectors, boosting DeBary as a destination for bicyclists, hikers and nature lovers, supporters say.

The St. John River stretches 310 miles, flowing north from marshes in Indian River County and through Central Florida until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonvile. The slow-flowing water body is Florida's only American Heritage River, a federal designation that could help DeBary's preservation plan, former Volusia County Council member Pat Northey told the City Council.

The St Johns River-to-Sea Loop Alliance, a nonprofit trail support group spanning five counties, supports the acquisition said Northey, a group leader.

The group is helping build 260 miles of trails linking Volusia, Flagler, Brevard, Putnam, and St. Johns counties.

Northey said the Rotary Club of DeBary-Deltona-Orange City also supports the acquisition.

A 10-member panel of officials meet twice a year to review applications for Florida Forever.

The Acquisition and Restoration Council includes one representative each from:

• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection
• The Florida Forest Service of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• The Division of Historical Resources of the Florida Department of State

Four other members are Florida residents appointed by the governor who have scientific backgrounds related to land, water or environmental science.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services each gets one appointee.

The council ranks Florida Forever acquisition projects in December and sends the recommendations to the governor and three-member Florida Cabinet for approval.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet — Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried — have limited power over the list. They may remove projects. But they can't make any other changes. Florida Forever buys from willing sellers.

Negotiations are based on reviews from independent private-sector appraisers on estimated market values.

The state has acquired more than 718,000 acres under Florida Forever, which began in July 2001. When combined with an earlier program called Preservation 2000, the state’s total acquisition spans more than 2.4 million acres since 1991.