Summit County lands staff outlines expansion of open-space portfolio, management and costs

Jessica Kirby, Summit County's public lands professional, told the council during a retreat update that the county is close to completing multi-year acquisitions and is shifting focus "from purchase to programming." She said the county already manages about 850 acres in fee title, 3,780 acres of conservation easements and about 10 miles of trail, and projects that with pending closings those totals could rise to roughly 10,000 acres of county-owned land and an additional 36 miles of trail by year-end.

Kirby said the lands portfolio will grow further under option agreements now on the table, and that the county is preparing for the operating costs that follow acquisition. "On average, it's about a $100 to $250 per acre to manage land," she said, adding per-mile figures for trail maintenance and higher costs for paved, urban trails. Kirby said conservation and wildfire mitigation remain part of the department's core work and that water-rights and habitat analyses will be a focus next year.

The update included details about staffing and volunteer support: the new open-space warden, Jeremy Foreman, has logged 40 recorded incidents at the 9 10/Ure Ranch in the last six months, ranging from fishing violations to trespass and theft, and the program maintains about 15 wildlife cameras on the property. Kirby highlighted a volunteer ambassador program of about 25 active volunteers and one recent intern; she said volunteer hours are producing a roughly 1:1 return on investment and recommended a dedicated staff position to manage volunteers and free administrative capacity for grant work.

Kirby also reported a newly discovered invasive weed on the 9 10 property. "We found the largest population of yellow star thistle in our county on that property last Friday," she said. She described it as a roughly 3.5-acre infestation that will require herbicide treatment and possible biological control and that it illustrates the cost of delayed management.

Kirby briefed the council on contracts and outside partners: about 27 active contracts (restoration, cultural resources, noxious-weed management and recreation planning) and recent partner tours with USU, the U.S. Forest Service and the Forest Legacy program. She said the county recently closed—or is near closing—on large parcels including the 9 10/Ure Ranch and other properties in Oakley and elsewhere. She warned that two federal processes (Forest Service and NRCS) are delaying closings and said staff were told to expect further delays tied to agency shutdowns.

Kirby said the department has issued an RFP and contracted local trail planners and a trail-builder to design alignments and build when the county is ready, and that she does not envision the county starting a full in-house trails maintenance department: "I don't envision the county building a trails department," she said, describing a model that relies on contractors or partner organizations for maintenance. She also outlined possible funding approaches for long-term stewardship—conventional methods such as tourism-related TRT and general tax revenues, plus philanthropy, event revenues or endowments ("Friends of the 9 10" concept) and partnerships with USU for grants.

Why it matters: the county's land holdings and related public access commitments are expanding rapidly; staff say acquisitions bring ongoing operating liabilities that must be funded if the county is to maintain conservation values, public access, wildfire mitigation and trail infrastructure. Council members pressed staff on enforcement, trail partnerships, and the timing of federal funding and appraisals tied to imminent closings.

What's next: Kirby said staff will bring a water-rights analysis and more detailed proposals for operations and staffing to council early next year and will coordinate with the Park City Fire District and other partners on burn plans and fuel-reduction work on acquired properties.