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State Land Board rejects staff move to split Saddleback Ranch leases, directs alternatives after family’s plea
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing, the Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners voted 5–0 to reject staff’s recommendation to convert an existing combined 20‑year multiservice lease at Saddleback Ranch into separate 10‑year agricultural and 5‑year recreation leases, and asked staff to produce alternative leasing options and near‑term timing relief.
The Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners on Sept. 11 rejected a staff recommendation to convert a long‑standing combined agricultural and recreation lease at Saddleback Ranch in Routt County into the board’s standard 10‑year agricultural lease and five‑year recreation lease. The board voted 5–0 to reject staff’s recommendation and directed staff to return with alternative ways to offer the property that recognize the ranch’s integrated agritourism and stewardship operation and to consider interim timing relief for the family.
The request for review came from members of the Yacobedo family, which operates Saddleback Ranch and manages a year‑round agritourism business the family said helps underwrite their conservation work. Family members described multi‑decade stewardship projects, rotational grazing, seasonal wildlife sanctuaries and an agritourism operation that they said generates the revenue that enables habitat work and recreation programs. "Our recreation operation…
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