Wasatch County Council approves $750,000 toward preservation of Pear Tree Llamas farm

Wasatch County Council on Feb. 5 approved a request to use up to $750,000 in 2018 open-space bond funds to help buy a conservation easement on the Pear Tree Llamas property (the White Family Living Trust) in the Northfield area.

The Pear Tree project asks the county for $750,000 toward a conservation-easement value estimated in the application at about $6,525,000. Utah Open Lands and the property owners told the council the owners are offering $1,625,000 in direct contribution and other federal and private funds are committed or pending, yielding strong leverage for the county funds.

The county’s contribution won unanimous support. Council member Eric made the motion; Council member Colleen seconded. Council members voting yes included Mark, Eric, Colleen, Kendall, Spencer and Luke; the motion passed unanimously.

The council heard a staff update on the county’s 2018 open-space bond program before the public hearing. County staff member Heidi presented a five-year summary showing the program had recommended several projects that together would protect more than 623 acres and leverage the $10 million bond several times over, and then introduced the White family project.

Utah Open Lands Executive Director Wendy Fisher and Land Protection Lead Marissa Fenwick described the Pear Tree parcel’s conservation values. Fisher said the property connects to the Kem C. Gardner Legacy Preserve and to other conserved acreage and that the project had been preselected for NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding. Fenwick said the parcel is about 39.56 acres, zoned RA-1, and that 24 water shares used on the property would be encumbered by a conservation easement to preserve agricultural use.

Property owners Jerry and Dr. Kathleen White told the council they have operated the farm for decades and want to preserve its agricultural and wildlife values. Dr. White said, “I’ve watched sandhill cranes mate on our property and hunt on our property. I’ve watched baby red foxes play in our front yard. That’s the kind of thing I want to see continue happening on Pear Tree Llamas.”

Several neighbors and residents spoke in favor during public comment, including neighbor Jonathan Hughes and online commenter Christian Thompson. County counsel recommended adding a financing condition so the county’s payment occurs contemporaneously with the other funding sources; Utah Open Lands staff said that is standard practice and possible to accommodate through the settlement statement and closing process.

The project materials submitted to the council list the applicant’s proposed conditions and required documentation: a certified conservation-easement appraisal, a title report, environmental/geologic review and a draft easement and closing documents reviewed by county counsel. The council’s approval included the condition that county funds be disbursed contemporaneously with the other funding sources during closing.

Why it matters: Open-space bond money has been used to preserve farmland and habitat in the Heber Valley. Supporters said this parcel preserves a north–south corridor of conserved land along State Road 113 and near the Provo River, maintains grazing ties with Kohler Dairy, and protects habitat for mule deer, sage grouse and other wildlife.

Next steps: County counsel and Utah Open Lands will complete appraisal and title work, finalize easement language and align the settlement statement so the county’s payment is released at the same time as other committed funds. If all conditions and funding align, the deed and easement will be recorded at closing.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve up to $750,000 from open-space bond funds for the White Family Living Trust (Pear Tree Llamas) conservation easement; mover: Council member Eric; second: Council member Colleen; outcome: approved unanimously (Mark — yes; Eric — yes; Colleen — yes; Kendall — yes; Spencer — yes; Luke — yes).