Arizona State Parks Board

Scottsdale likely to bid on state trust land for preserve

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

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[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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Parks board still dreams of the future

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[Source: Payson Roundup, Peter Aleshire, 7-20-2010] – Get through the beating. But don’t stop dreaming.

That could serve as the motto of the Arizona State Parks system, reflected recently at a rare retreat and strategy session that brought the board to one of its most endangered treasures: Tonto Natural Bridge. The state parks board finds itself in the position of a scrawny kid getting punched out by a bully after his lunch money. The system is bruised, bloody and curled into the fetal position — but still making plans for college.

The world’s largest natural travertine arch formed an apt setting for the discussion, since the park system’s partnership with Payson to keep the Rim Country’s best known tourist attraction open served as a model to save other parks. As a result of the last-minute rescues by Payson and other counties and towns, the state parks board approved agreements to keep most of the sites in the 28-park system open — despite drastic reductions in its budget. [to read the full article click here].

Wickenburg-Boetto House receives award

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Before and after shot of the Wickenburg-Boetto House.

[Source: The Wickenburg Sun, 3-23-2010] — The Wickenburg-Boetto House was recently selected to receive the Heritage Fund Historic Preservation Project of the year award.  The selection was based on many aspects, such as outstanding project performance and end use.  The Arizona State Parks board and the Arizona Lottery made the Project of the Year program possible.

The Historic Preservation Advisory Committee has chosen Wednesday, March 31 as the day to recognize the project and to award a bronze plaque to be placed at the Wickenburg-Boetto House.  Other projects being recognized include Old Adobe Mission in Scottsdale, New State Motor Building in Jerome, Children’s Museum at Monroe School in Phoenix, and Peeples Valley Schoolhouse.

The awards presentation is scheduled to take place in Phoenix and is set to begin at 1 p.m.  For more information, contact Cindy Thrasher at 684-5129.