New Smyrna Beach buys 7.31 acres for conservation, bringing total acquired since 2018 to 223.35

The New Smyrna Beach City Commission voted 4-0 to add 7.31 acres along the west side of Turnbull Creek between S.R. 44 and Jungle Road to the 216.04 acquired since 2018, when over 75% of voters approved spending up to $15 million to buy private property zoned for development to instead set aside for environmental conservation.

It was the first purchase led by Natural Resources Manager Ralph “Tony” Miller, hired by the city last December to coordinate land acquisition efforts, enhance flood mitigation, improve stormwater infrastructure, and protect environmentally sensitive areas.

Aerial map depicting the 7.31-acre property acquisition along the west side of Turnbull Creek north

Aerial map depicting the 7.31-acre property acquisition in yellow linking prior land purchases made

“What makes this property unique is it literally is the hole in the donut,” said Miller. “We’re connecting everything we bought to the north to the properties to the south, so we now have a contiguous wildlife corridor between Paige Avenue north to Jungle Road up north to Pioneer Trail. One of the advantages of having that is DOT and the County, one of their requirements to put in wildlife crossings on a street is that there be public ownership on both sides of the street. So, we now have the ability to request wildlife crossings for both of those.”

Vice Mayor & Zone 3 Commissioner Jason McGuirk, who represents north central neighborhoods such as Sugar Mill Country Club and Islesboro, was pleased with the result.

Vice Mayor & Zone 3 Commissioner Jason McGuirk compliments Natural Resources Manager Ralph “Tony” Miller on a job well done during the City Commission’s public meeting on April 14, 2026.

“Tony, I want to tell you that I’m thrilled to death that we are going to acquire this property. This has been one of my goals since the inception of the program. Not only is this a valuable piece of property for habitat, but it’s also going to help Ellison Acres and the people who live on Temple and in that whole area. It’s so low and I couldn’t imagine if more homes were built on this. It would only exacerbate the problem, so this is truly cherry on the cake.”

Included in the $750,000 purchase agreement are provisions requiring a street to be named after property owner Linda Ellison Minton’s brother, Sonny Ellison, and any future public amenities built on the site to be named after her father, Z.B. Ellison.

Linda Ellison Minton and her brother Sonny Ellison hold up a street sign for Sonny Ellison Lane, to be dedicated as part of the purchase agreement.

$4,703,595 now remains in the Turnbull Creek land acquisition budget. If you’re interested in selling your property to the city for conservation, please contact Tony at rmiller@cityofnsb.com or 386-410-2625.