Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lake Powell Pipeline topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board asks staff to reject easement as written for Lake Powell pipeline, seeks revised alignment
Summary
Mojave County staff reported Washington County’s request for a permanent easement across county land for the Lake Powell pipeline and an accompanying $19,000 offer. The board directed staff to reject the easement as written and continue negotiating a reduced footprint and updated appraisal to avoid encroaching on county facilities.
Mojave County staff informed supervisors on April 6 of a proposal from Washington County seeking a perpetual permanent easement across approximately 1 acre of county‑held land near the North Canyon Justice Court and sheriff substation as part of a Lake Powell pipeline project.
Public works and engineering staff said the proposed easement as submitted would have encroached into the justice court parking area and approached the front door of the sheriff substation. ‘‘Under the terms of the grant of the easement, the county would be precluded from doing any construction that would preclude the grantee from utilizing the property,’’ the presentation said, flagging future development and operational conflicts.
Staff recommended rejecting the easement as written and continuing negotiations. The county’s public‑works director said Washington County was responsive to technical comments and that a revised legal description and new appraisal could address the encroachment; engineers proposed a narrower alignment (a 30‑foot offset plus a 100‑foot easement along the right‑of‑way) that would avoid court parking. The offer on the table was $19,000 for the permanent easement.
Supervisors also asked broader questions about water availability for the pipeline; Supervisor Martin noted Colorado River overallocation and asked whether the sending county would have sufficient water. Staff cautioned there may be litigation and intergovernmental complexities before water is available for diversion.
The board voted to reject the easement as presented and directed staff to continue negotiations with Washington County to revise the easement footprint and update the appraisal.
Next steps: staff will request a modified legal description and an updated appraisal from Washington County and return to the board with recommended terms to protect county facilities.
