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Cache County buys Sherwood Hills and Chambers Farm to protect vistas and trail corridor; new greenbelt rollback funding could add millions
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Summary
County staff described purchases of almost 800 acres at Sherwood Hills and 557 acres at Chambers Farm, funding sources and next steps for management and trail planning; members were also briefed on a new state law directing greenbelt rollback taxes to local open‑space funds.
Cache County staff updated the Cache County Open Space Advisory Committee on two recent land purchases intended to preserve scenic gateways and secure trail connections.
David, a county presenter, said the county’s Sherwood Hills purchase totaled almost 800 acres in two transactions: the county acquired approximately 470 acres and a private buyer, Mark Thompson, bought about 300 adjoining acres. The overall purchase price was about $7,500,000. Wellsville City contributed $1,000,000, a state Outdoor Recreation grant provided $2,000,000, and Thompson donated $500,000 toward the county portion, David said.
David described the area as a prominent gateway with scenic and wildlife value and said the county will use an Outdoor Recreation Program grant to study options for the property. “What we’re gonna do going forward with it, we don’t know yet,” David said. He added vegetation management crews are already working on weed control and that the county is discussing management and potential shared stewardship with Wellsville City because the land is inside Wellsville’s municipal boundaries and the city has an interest in protecting a nearby drinking‑water spring.
The county also purchased the Chambers Farm, 557 acres east of Smithfield, for about $1,900,000 (roughly $3,400 per acre). David said the primary objective for that purchase was to secure the Bonneville Shoreline Trail corridor and to connect existing preserved lands and Forest Service lands. He described potential partnerships with Smithfield and nearby sportsman groups to manage trail access and preserve adjacent trail systems.
On financing, David explained that the county initially used available cash and expects to seek reimbursements from bond proceeds and other open‑space revenue. He also briefed the committee on HB237, a state legislative change that directs greenbelt rollback tax revenues to county open‑space funds. David said an internal five‑year average of greenbelt rollbacks is about $900,000 per year, which the county estimates could translate into roughly $20,000,000 over 20 years, though year‑to‑year totals will vary.
Committee members discussed tradeoffs between fee‑title purchases and conservation easements. David said fee title gives the county control but creates ongoing management obligations; easements are less maintenance‑intensive for the county but limit county control over access and use. Several members recommended that the county consider placing an easement in the hands of an independent land conservancy to better secure long‑term protections.
Staff also noted capacity constraints: reviewers at the state and federal level have reduced staffing that may lengthen grant and easement review times, and the county has limited staff time to track and support incoming applicants. Committee members asked for more accessible project maps and a consolidated status list for existing easement and acquisition projects.
Next steps described for the two purchases include an Outdoor Recreation Program study for Sherwood Hills, weeds and vegetation management, negotiations over access and subdivision elements for the small number of retained developable lots, trail and parking planning, and consideration of conservation easements or third‑party easement holders to secure long‑term protections.