Oakley council discusses conservation easement for watershed; Summit Lands Conservancy to draft letter of intent

Cheryl (no last name provided), representing Summit Lands Conservancy, told the Oakley City Council the nonprofit can prepare a conservation easement covering the city’s watershed area and asked the council to indicate which parcels it wants protected.

Cheryl said the conservancy and the city previously discussed restricting the area east of Pinion Lane—roughly 11 acres near ponds and wooded areas—as a watershed-protection easement while leaving other parts of the site available for moderate public use and trails.

“Basically, it’s up to you to tell us what portion of the property you’d like to have in a conservation easement,” Cheryl said, describing wetlands, trails and a “pond” area that help recharge the local aquifer and protect the city’s water infrastructure. She said the conservancy will bring the proposal to its board for approval, then return with a letter of intent or memorandum of understanding describing the acres, conservation values (watershed protection, viewshed, public access) and reserved rights for city infrastructure work.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the east and west sides of Pinion Lane, whether the Humbug well site and the million-gallon tank would be included, and how specific boundaries would be drawn. Several council members said they preferred initially to focus on 7–11 acres on the east side near the well and leave decisions on the west side for later.

Cheryl said the conservancy needs baseline ecological surveys before drafting a final easement and that calendar timing matters because snow limits field work. She said the conservancy can bring a letter of intent quickly if the board approves the project, and that a final conservation easement and baseline could be completed by the end of the year if both parties agree.

On funding, Cheryl said conservation transactions require staff time and stewardship funding. She asked whether the city could contribute or allow neighborhood fundraising; council members suggested the city’s open-space account might be a source and asked the conservancy to indicate estimated transaction and stewardship costs in the letter of intent. Cheryl gave a ballpark estimate for transaction-level costs under $100,000 and said it was likely in the $50,000–$60,000 range.

Council members agreed to schedule a site visit at 6 p.m. on Sept. 10, meet at the Public Works building, and asked staff to include the letter of intent on a future council agenda once the conservancy’s board approves it.

Ending: The conservancy will seek its board’s approval, prepare a letter of intent describing proposed acres and reserved rights for city infrastructure, and return to council for formal action; council members requested cost estimates and agreed to tour the site before finalizing the easement.