450 West Paseo Redondo
Tuesday March 8, 2005
3:00 p.m.
MOTION: Commissioner Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner
Wilson, to move forward with due diligence on the Whitaker parcel (Camino de
Oeste) at appraised value. Motion
approved 11-0
MOTION: Commissioner Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner
Corey, to move forward with due diligence on the 15 acres directly south of the
Avra/I-10 underpass. Motion approved
10-0. Commissioner Sheridan abstained from voting.
MOTION: Commissioner
Sheridan moved, seconded by Commissioner Hare, to move forward with due
diligence on the Habitat for Humanity parcel along the 36th Street
corridor, by seeking partnership opportunities whereby the complete parcel does
not have to be purchased, and at the same time consider other conservation
opportunities in this project area. Motion approved 11-0.
MOTION: Vice-Chair
Johnson moved, seconded by Commissioner Wilson, to place the Nunez parcel
(Empire Mountains) on hold, until staff determines whether the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) is willing to acquire or manage this parcel and others as they
are surrounded by BLM land. Motion
approved 11-0.
MOTION: Commissioner
Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner Hare, to move forward with due diligence
on the Madera Highlands parcels (Altar Valley). Motion approved 10-0.
Wanda Shattuck abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest.
Commissioner
Wilson requested a presentation at the May 19 meeting on the Tres Rios project
and a corridor near the Pinal County line. Commissioner Hare requested that the
Commission be made aware of any responses from Marana or other entities
regarding this Avra/I-10 area.
The
following is a summary of the March 8, 2005 meeting. Audiotapes of the meeting are available upon request.
1. Roll Call
The
meeting was called to order at 3:15 p.m. with a quorum.
Bill
Arnold
Les
Corey
Trevor
Hare
Jan
Johnson, Vice-Chair
Rob
Marshall
Chuck
Pettis
Tim
Prouty
Bill
Roe, Chair
Wanda
Shattuck
Tom
Sheridan
Helen
Wilson
2. State Trust Land Reform
State Land Commissioner
Mark Winkleman addressed several questions posed by the Commission regarding
the State Land Department, State Trust land reform efforts, the Arizona
Preserve Initiative, State mineral leases, and recreation on State Trust lands.
Mr. Winkleman suggested that the Commission invite staff from the new Tucson
State Land office to attend a Commission meeting, in order to build up a
relationship with the new office and provide input on the five-year disposal
plan.
3. Camino De Oeste Project Area
At
the February 10 meeting, the Commission directed staff to begin due diligence
for the Camino de Oeste parcels with asking prices near $6,500 or less. Diana
Freshwater, Arizona Open Land Trust, reported that this included three parcels
owned by Route 606. The adjacent
Whitaker parcel appraised at $8,800 an acre.
Staff recommended moving forward with due diligence on the Whitaker
parcel at appraised value.
MOTION: Commissioner Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner
Wilson, to move forward with due diligence on the Whitaker parcel at appraised
value. Motion approved 11-0
Kerry
Baldwin, Natural Resources Superintendent, provided a report on issues
associated with inholdings.
4. Conservation Opportunities in
Connection Analysis Areas
Christine Curtis, Real Property Acquisition Agent, reported on
negotiations with an owner of two parcels just south of the Avra/I-10
underpass. Staff recommended beginning
due diligence for the northern 15 acres of these parcels for $50,000 an acre.
The County Administrator requested, via a letter to the Town Manager of Marana,
that Marana require that a corridor be set aside on the northern parcel if it
is brought through Marana’s development process. The 15 acres when added to this set aside area will protect a
corridor from the I-10 underpass to Pima County and Marana owned lands to the
west.
MOTION: Commissioner Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner
Corey, to move forward with due diligence on the 15 acres directly south of the
Avra/I-10 underpass. Motion approved
10-0. Commissioner Sheridan abstained from voting.
Commissioner
Wilson requested a presentation at the May 19 meeting on the Tres Rios project
and a corridor near the Pinal County line. Commissioner Hare requested that the
Commission be made aware of any responses from Marana or other entities regarding
this Avra/I-10 area.
5. Approval of February 10 Meeting
Summary
Meeting
summary was approved 11-0.
6. Update on 1997/2004 Conservation
Bond Program Expenditures
Nicole
Fyffe distributed an update of the 1997 and 2004 Conservation Bond Program Expenditures
as of February 28, 2005.
7. Applications for the Sale of Open
Space
A.
Habitat for
Humanity – City of Tucson Jurisdictional Request - 36th Street
Corridor
Due to the fact that the asking price for this
property is 5 times that of similar properties acquired in the area, staff
recommended moving forward with due diligence on this parcel by assembling a
team to determine which portions of the property are most important to preserve
and whether the biological integrity of the property can be preserved while
still permitting some development. It
was also proposed that this team consider other conservation opportunities
along the 36th Street Corridor, and how best to spend the remaining
funds for this project area.
Michael McDonald, Executive Director for the
Habitat for Humanity in Tucson, stated that he was willing to work with the
County on this potential acquisition.
Commissioner Wilson stated that the Commission
should aim to have portions set aside through the development process, as opposed
to buying the whole parcel for $3 million.
MOTION: Commissioner Sheridan moved, seconded by Commissioner Hare, to move
forward with due diligence by seeking partnership opportunities whereby the
complete parcel does not have to be purchased, and at the same time consider
other conservation opportunities in this project area. Motion approved 11-0.
Gayle Hartmann spoke in support of looking at all
the opportunities along this corridor.
B.
Nunez parcel –
Habitat Protection Priority – Southeast Corridor
MOTION: Vice-Chair Johnson moved, seconded by
Commissioner Wilson, to place the Nunez parcel on hold, until staff determines
whether the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is willing to acquire or manage
this parcel and others as they are surrounded by BLM land. Motion approved 11-0.
C.
Madera Highlands
parcels – Habitat Protection Priorities – Altar Valley
MOTION: Commissioner Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner Hare, to move
forward with due diligence on the Madera Highlands parcels. Motion approved 10-0. Wanda Shattuck abstained from voting due to
a conflict of interest.
8. Updates:
Bar V Ranch: Staff reported that the County closed on the
Bar V Ranch on February 17, 2005.
King98: Staff reported that County would close
shortly on the King98 property.
Rancho Seco: Staff
reported that a Phase II environmental assessment was underway, a mineral
rights attorney had been retained by the County for advice regarding the
mineral issues associated with the property, the County and the sellers were
still developing the conservation easement and other documents associated with
the acquisition, and that all this information will be taken back to the Board
of Supervisors for approval before April 16.
South Corridor Project Area: Diana Freshwater reported that the County
should soon be finished with value estimates for these properties.
Belvedere: Diana
Freshwater reported that due diligence was underway.
Green Valley Hills: Nicole Fyffe reported that the owner of this
property withdrew the project from the Planning and Zoning Commission
agenda. An application for the sale of
open space had been sent to the owner.
Proposed Development Activities on Bond Parcels: Sherry
Ruther, Environmental Planning Manager for Development Services, stated that no
new action had occurred on the parcels.
Ms. Ruther also proposed that the joint study session for this
Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission be scheduled for 3pm on March
30th in the Public Works building basement conference room “C’.
9. Next Commission Meeting, April 21,
2005
The
next Commission meeting is scheduled for April 21, 2005 at 3 p.m. A suggested
agenda was distributed to the Commission.
Commissioner Shattuck asked that staff request Albert Elias, City of
Tucson Planning Director, attend meetings where the Habitat for Humanity parcel
is discussed.
10.
Call to the Public
No
individuals spoke at this time.
11. Adjournment
Meeting
adjourned at 5:15 pm.