Prop 301 pits reeling state budget against preserving open space

[Source: Arizona Capitol Times.  Article by Rebecca McClay, Cronkite News Service]

Sandy Bahr (Cronkite News Service Photo by Rebecca L. McClay)

Sandy Bahr envisions this expanse of land near the McDowell Mountains remaining just as it is: a picturesque scene of large saguaros and desert brush.

Thanks to $23 million from a fund Arizona voters created in 1998 to preserve open spaces, Scottsdale plans to add about 2,000 acres of state trust land here to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. To Bahr, director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter, it’s money well spent.

But it could be one of the last such purchases receiving money from the Growing Smarter fund if voters approve a ballot measure in November.

The Legislature referred Proposition 301, also called the Land Conservation Fund Transfer, to have voters decide whether $123.5 million in state funds will be kept for preservation projects or siphoned into the general fund to balance the budget.

Bahr is among those opposing the measure, saying money for buying state trust land should stay intact.

“By redirecting these dollars, they hurt the local communities that were trying to conserve the land and they hurt conservation all over the state,” Bahr said. “They should keep their hands off it.”

It’s one of two proposals on the Nov. 2 ballot in which voters will have a direct say in how to balance the state’s fiscal 2011 budget, which took effect July 1.

The budget passed based on the assumption that voters would approve both Proposition 301 and Proposition 302, which would eliminate the First Things First early childhood health and development program. State law requires voter approval because voters created both programs.

Bahr said other measures like closing tax loopholes or scaling back spending in other departments are her preferred alternatives to balancing the budget.

Proponents of eliminating the Land Conservation Fund say the consequences of not balancing the budget – including the state receiving a downgrade on its debt rating from Moody’s Investors Service – are too severe to ignore. The downgrade from a Aa2 to Aa3 in July makes it more expensive for the government to borrow money.

“We can’t afford it,” said Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, who called the founding of the fund “well intended.”
“We need the money many other places,” he said. “Buying open space is not high on the list of priorities.”

Rep. Rick Murphy, R-Glendale, said Arizona faces an unprecedented budget crisis.

“It is irresponsible to cut true necessities like public safety or basic K-12 education while continuing to spend money on non-essentials, no matter how good or important they might be,” Murphy said in an e-mail interview.

The Land Conservation Fund is administered by the Arizona State Parks Board. The money is allocated to communities on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis to purchase state trust land.

Proposition 301 opponents argue that the money, the only state funding source for land preservation, is critical for preserving the environment in the face of growth. They argue that unlike Proposition 302, Proposition 301 doesn’t have a provision that would require money taken from the fund to be used for a similar purpose.

Scottsdale has already received $3.3 million from the fund to help purchase a 400-acre parcel of land in the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, said Scottsdale Preserve Director Kroy Ekblaw, who didn’t take a position on the proposition.

“We have additional land we would like to acquire,” Ekblaw said. “If the revenue was available, we would certainly like to take advantage.”

Scottsdale could still purchase more land but not as much as if it had the matching funds, Ekblaw said.

Phoenix and Coconino County have also already applied to purchase state trust land parcels. According to a report from Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy, the applications could come to a halt if the measure passes.

Facts about Proposition 301 vote:

  • Key Provision: Would transfer to the general fund $123.5 million from Land Conservation Fund voters created in 1998 to preserve open spaces.
  • Trend: Along with Proposition 302, dealing with the First Things First early childhood development program, it would reallocate funds to shore up the state budget.
  • The Fund: Matches municipalities’ land conservation efforts dollar-for-dollar to purchase state trust land.
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Scottsdale likely to bid on state trust land for preserve

[Source: Peter Corbett, azcentral.com]

Scottsdale is expected to be among the bidders next month for 2,000 acres of state trust land that has been appraised at $44.1 million.

The Arizona State Land Department has scheduled an auction Oct. 15 for the acreage in the Granite Mountain area of northern Scottsdale.

It is a desert area northeast of Troon North between the alignments of Lone Mountain Road and Dixileta Drive and roughly between 96th to 130th streets.

The property is zoned for single-family homes on lots of about 5 acres with other environmental restrictions.

Kroy Ekblaw, Scottsdale preserve director, said the city and the State Land Department have not had any contact with builders interested in bidding on the trust land.

The undulating terrain includes thick stands of desert vegetation, washes and exposed boulder outcropping, he said.

“There are challenges with development in bringing water and sewer services to the area,” Ekblaw said.

Scottsdale has long targeted the area for its McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

The city applied this summer for a grant from Arizona’s Growing Smarter conservation fund to split the cost of the state land, which is priced at $22,043 per acre.

Awaiting grant approval

Last month, the Conservation Acquisition Board, an advisory panel of the Arizona State Parks Board, recommended approval of a matching grant for Scottsdale of up to $25 million.

The Parks Board is scheduled to decide on the grant at its Sept. 15 meeting.

It also will decide on matching grants for Phoenix and Coconino County for land conservation through the Growing Smarter fund.

In a separate auction Oct. 15, Phoenix will be bidding for 1,139 acres of state trust land in northeastern Phoenix.

The parcel, appraised at $25.8 million, is between Lone Mountain and Dove Valley roads from Seventh to 24th streets.

Phoenix wants the land for its Sonoran Preserve. It is seeking to split the cost by acquiring a grant from the Growing Smarter conservation fund.

Coconino County wants funding to acquire the 2,249-acre Rogers Lake Preserve southwest of Flagstaff for $11.75 million.

That state trust land is up for auction Nov. 1.

Land fund may disappear

Scottsdale, Phoenix and Coconino County are tapping into the $123 million conservation fund before it potentially disappears.

If voters approve Proposition 301 on Nov. 2, the state will transfer what’s left of the conservation money to the general fund to balance its budget.

Conservation groups are opposing the raid on conservation funds. Voters approved the Growing Smarter initiative in 1998 to help communities buy land for conservation and to slow urban sprawl.

Scottsdale’s last acquisition for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve was in December when it paid $6.5 million at auction for 400 acres of state trust land north of DC Ranch.

The city has about 15,000 acres in the preserve with a goal to conserve 36,000 acres of desert and mountain terrain.

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Lyman Lake to close for winter on Sept. 7

[Source: WMIcentral.com]

Photo Credit: Karen Warnick – The Independent

APACHE COUNTY-Lyman Lake will again be closing down on Sept. 7, but this time there is good reason to believe that it will open again next summer. Rumors have circulated that the park will close down permanently after Labor Day, or be sold to a private company. Those rumors are not true, according to both the County and the State Parks Board.

“The county is willing to do whatever we can to keep Lyman Lake open,” said county manager Delwin Wengert. “It will take a group effort and we will work with the Parks Board and the communities of Apache County.”

During a phone interview with Assistant Parks Director Jay Weems and Public Information Officer Ellen Bonnin-Bilbrey on Aug. 24, it was made clear that the Parks Board does not want to permanently close Lyman or any of the State Parks and they are also committed to “looking at all possibilities” to keep Lyman Lake open. Even if it means operating it on a seasonal basis, which is not something that the Parks Board has done with any of the State Parks up to this time.

Lyman Lake is not actually totally owned by the State of Arizona. Lyman Water Company, the Arizona State Land Department and the Bureau of Land Management all own part of the property. No State Park has been ever sold, nor is it considered possible to do so under the state Constitution.

Weems said in the interview that if Apache County had not come forward with the $40,000 it raised, drastic measures would have been needed to shut it down.

Lyman Lake is considered a “high maintenance” park in that it is in a remote location and runs it own water and waste treatment facility, and its own law enforcement with the help of the Sheriff’s Department. Weems said they anticipated spending about $100,000 during this summer’s season. Of that amount, $75,000 is needed for staffing and the rest for utilities and supplies.

So far this season, the Park has brought in about $70,000 and with the money donated by the county, will break about even.

Weems said the Park made about $6,000 over the Memorial Day Weekend, which is $3,000 more than last year and $2,000 more than in 2008. During the month of June, the Park brought in $18,000, which is about $2,000 less than in both 2008 and 2009. July brought in $29,000, the same as in 2008 and $6,000 more than 2009. August is projected to be the same as both years at around $14,000.

Weems also stated that the arrangement with the County is unique, but has been done with other communities.

PIO officer Bilbrey said that the economic impact to the County from visitors to the area is over $2.5 million directly and over 35 jobs are provided by the impact. Bilbrey has been working vigorously promoting Arizona State Parks to the rest of the world and states that more visitors are needed to help the rural communities and their parks.

The Parks Board has budgeted money to leave one law enforcement officer at the Park over the winter to protect the park and its artifacts. Negotiations will start soon with the County and possibly a private company to operate it next year. Many people thought that Lyman was closed this summer. In fact, Bilbrey said that many people thought all of Arizona’s Parks were closed and there needs to be a concerted publicity effort to get the word out which will bring in more visitors.

Lyman Lake will be open through the Labor Day weekend.

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Arizona State Parks Board Authorizes Fourteen Projects out of the Off-Highway Recreation Fund

[Source: Arizona State Parks Press Room]

In 2008 the Arizona Legislature authorized a new Off-Highway Vehicle “Sticker Fund” which started producing revenues in January of 2009. A $25 fee is charged for off-highway vehicles each year and that sticker is then attached to the license plates of these vehicles.

Photo credit: Arizona State Parks

Revenue from sticker sales amounts to almost $1 million per year and recently the Arizona State Parks Board awarded $534,725 from the OHV Recreation Fund to 14 OHV projects. Those funds went to areas near the following towns: Globe, Scottsdale, Mesa, Phoenix, Show Low, Kingman, Black Canyon City, Prescott, Chino Valley, Cottonwood, and Camp Verde. These projects will improve OHV routes, trails, and facilities and help manage recreational activity on Arizona’s public lands by motorized vehicles.

The Arizona State Parks – OHV Recreation Fund (gas taxes) has been in existence since 1991 and has been used for mitigation and enforcement on trails as well as an OHV map guide, provide riding facilities, OHV education, trail signage, and other rural OHV maps.

Motorized trail project applications are accepted at any time and reviewed periodically by the Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Group for funding by the State Parks Board. In addition to trail and facility improvements, the funds can be used for mitigation of damage caused by OHV activities, cultural and environmental compliances, and education projects/programs and law enforcement.

State Parks develops the OHV recreation plan every five years with input from land managing agency staff, OHV user organizations, individual OHV users, and the general public. The 2010 State Trails Plan can be found on the State Parks website.

Projects selected for funding will encompass all of the following recommendations:

  • HIGH-USE AREA – the project will be located on a route, trail, or area that is currently experience heavy OHV traffic.
  • USER SUPPORTED – the project will be endorsed by at least one user organization that can be identified with the specific project area.
  • PRIORITY RECOMMENDATION – the project will include: maintenance and/or renovation of existing routes, trails, or areas; mitigation of damage in proximity to approved use areas; and installation of trail route signs.
  • DIVERSITY – the selected projects will represent a cross section of use types and geographic areas.
  • SPONSOR ELIGIBILITY – the applicant must have control of and management responsibility for the area of the project and have a current agreement with State Parks in effect to allow transfer of funds for OHV project purposes.

For more information call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703) or visit AZStateParks.com. Follow us on Twitter.

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