HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-138-12/07/2004-AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DONATION OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON RED MOUNTAIN RANCH FROM LARIM RESOLUTION 2004-138
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DONATION OF
A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON RED MOUNTAIN RANCH
FROM LARIMER COUNTY FOR NATURAL AREA PURPOSES
WHEREAS, Latimer County intends to purchase fee title to approximately 13,500 acres of
land known as the Red Mountain Ranch located in Townships I IN & 12N, Ranges 69W and 70W
of the 6th P.M. County of Larimer, State of Colorado; and
WHEREAS,Latimer County, as a condition of the acceptance of Great Outdoors Colorado
("GOCO") funding for the purchase of fee title to Red Mountain Ranch, must encumber said
property with a GOCO-approved Conservation Easement,in substantially the form of a Conservation
Easement,dated December 3, 2004, which is on file in the office of the City Clerk and available for
public inspection; and
WHEREAS, GOCO requires that the Conservation Easement be held by a third party that
is qualified under federal and state tax law to hold conservation easements; and
WHEREAS, the City is such a qualified third party, and Larimer County has requested that
the City accept a donation of the Conservation Easement on Red Mountain Ranch; and
WHEREAS, City staff has reviewed the Conservation Easement on Red Mountain Ranch,
and recommends that the City accept the donation of the Conservation Easement as consistent with,
and an advancement of, the City's Natural Area program purposes; and
WHEREAS,the northerly portion of Red Mountain Ranch abuts and is adjacent to the City's
Soapstone Ranch property,and preservation and protection of the conservation values on that portion
of Red Mountain Ranch will directly benefit the conservation values of the Soapstone Ranch
property; and
WHEREAS,Larimer County intends in the future to arrange for an exchange of its fee title
interest in approximately 8,500 acres of Red Mountain Ranch to a third party, subject to the
Conservation Easement,in exchange for a conservation easement on additional lands adjoining Red
Mountain Ranch; and
WHEREAS,in the event such an exchange is arranged,Latimer County will then request that
the City agree to remove from the Conservation Easement the southerly portion of Red Mountain
Ranch, while the City retains its Conservation Easement on the northerly portion of Red Mountain
Ranch, which Larimer County will continue to own; and
WHEREAS,at such time as this future modification of the Conservation Easement is desired,
City Council approval will be required and requested; and
WHEREAS, based on the total purchase price of Red Mountain Ranch, the estimated value
of the donated Conservation Easement to the City on the approximately 5,000 acres that will remain
subject to a City Conservation Easement is $2,000,000; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Council to authorize the conveyance to the City of the
Conservation Easement on the lands of Red Mountain Ranch in the manner described herein.
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the donation of the above-described Conservation Easement to the City
of Fort Collins will be for the benefit of and in the best interest of the City of Fort Collins.
Section 2. That the City Council hereby approves and authorizes the execution by the
Mayor of such Deed of Conservation Easement and other documents of conveyance as may be
necessary to carry out the above-described conveyances.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 7th day of December,
A.D. 2004.
Mayor /
ATTEST:
- )
City Clerk