GOWERS CORNER - A local delegation is slated to travel to Tallahassee this week to convince the Florida Cabinet that the Cross Bar Ranch should stay on Florida Forever's "A" list for purchase and be dedicated to preservation.

Officials from Pasco and Pinellas counties along with Pasco's legislative delegation for months have been lobbying Gov. Charlie Crist, his Cabinet aides and other officials to put Cross Bar at the top of the acquisition list and make it eligible for a state grant.

The group plans to make a presentation before the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday morning at the state Capitol.

The proposal scored high after a review by Florida Forever's Acquisition and Restoration Council last year, but the governor and his Cabinet must give it final approval.

Pasco officials want to buy the 12,500-acre ranch in central Pasco from its current owner, Pinellas County Utilities, and dedicate it to conservation.

Pinellas bought the Cross Bar and Al Bar ranches in pieces during the height of the regional "water wars," when Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough counties and their cities were competing for water resources. The Cross Bar portion, which includes a wellfield, still provides water to the region, although pumping now is controlled by the regional authority, Tampa Bay Water. The Al Bar Ranch has no wells.

Pinellas officials now say they want to sell the property because they no longer need a wellfield outside their borders. They do, however, need money to expand the utility.

Local leaders agree the purchase will take a combination of state and local funding, partnerships with state agencies and probably a long-term loan from Pinellas County. If the Cabinet endorses the deal at Tuesday's hearing, appraisals will be ordered, and negotiations may begin.

In addition to Florida Forever funding, Pasco officials plan to spend Penny for Pasco sales tax revenue. If they don't have enough money, they may seek a special appropriation from the state.

State officials have been somewhat reluctant to pledge conservation dollars for the purchase of an active production well, said Michele Baker, Pasco's chief assistant county administrator. The Al Bar and Cross Bar portions could, however, be sold separately.

"There are two pieces of land here," Baker said.

County Administrator John Gallagher has suggested that if the state does not want to use conservation money for the Cross Bar portion, Pasco officials could partner with the state on Al Bar and get help from other agencies, such as the Southwest Florida Water Management District, to buy the Cross Bar tract.

"No one knows how this will work out financially," Baker said. "We don't know the cost of either parcel, and we're not even sure this will come up next week."

Cross Bar is among more than 100 projects on the Florida Forever list comprising 2 million acres. Those on the "A" list have a higher priority for funding than those on a "B" list.

Appraisals have not been done recently on Cross Bar, but the Pasco property appraiser assessed the land at $176 million. Assessments typically are less than market value.

In addition to the wellfields, Cross Bar is a haven for endangered and threatened wildlife, such as Florida scrub jays, gopher tortoises and burrowing owls. The land includes pine forests, which produce pine needles for mulch. The mulch business has yielded about $500,000 per year to help sustain the ranch financially.

Florida Forever's Acquisition and Restoration Council has recommended that the state Division of Forestry manage the property if Pasco buys it.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.