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Cache COSAC maps gateways, refines landowner mailer and advances Elkhorn Ranch easement due diligence
Summary
Committee members reviewed GIS counts of existing easements, discussed a landowner mailer and maps for gateway properties, set interim meeting dates and reported progress on Elkhorn Ranch due diligence and grant agreements with Bear River Land Conservancy and state partners.
The Cache Open Space Advisory Committee on Oct. 6 reviewed GIS data on existing conservation easements, refined a draft landowner mailer and agreed on near-term steps to present a gateway-mapping and outreach package to the County Council.
Committee member Eric and staff described a master list of large landowners and a set of "gateway" parcels, estimating roughly 200 targeted mailers for properties of 20 acres or more along key valley entrances. Eric said some gateway areas are highly fragmented (as many as 36 parcels) while others have a smaller set of large landowners; he recommended staff and committee members produce a slide deck and maps for a council presentation.
Members discussed a draft mailer that deliberately avoids including per-acre dollar figures after a previous citizen group's mailing cited a range of $2,200 to $13,000 per acre. The committee agreed to present examples of past funded projects instead of specific per-acre estimates to avoid setting expectations. Committee participants asked for county staff help to produce maps that highlight the parcels and suggested an interim workshop on Oct. 20 to finalize materials before a council packet deadline at the end of October.
On project updates, staff and partners reported progress on other conservation projects. Bear River Land Conservancy and partner organizations have negotiated a draft conservation-easement deed for Elkhorn Ranch that has been shared with the county; environmental review from NRCS returned with "no major concerns," and staff reported ongoing boundary and mineral due diligence. The conservancy is also working on a grant agreement tied to previously allocated council funds; the agreement requires county review and an executive sign-off process is under discussion.
Committee members also reviewed an internal GIS query that shows roughly 16,000 acres in existing easements captured by the list, possibly rising toward 20,000 acres when more recent closures are included. Members discussed program funding levels and noted the county's open-space pool figure referenced in the meeting (~$20,000,000) and the potential for an annual fund replenishment of about $1 million under current projections — details committee staff said would need precise accounting before public messaging.
The committee set an interim workshop for Oct. 20 to finalize mailer text and maps and planned to seek a council presentation slot in early November; the group emphasized delivering materials to the council about a week before the requested presentation date.
