Summit County conservation group seeks $250,000 from ESAP for 2,300-acre Echo Canyon easement; committee delays vote for lack of quorum

Summit Lands Conservancy asked the Eastern Summit County Agriculture Preservation and Open Lands Advisory Committee on Dec. 14 to consider contributing up to $250,000 toward a bargain-sale conservation easement on about 2,300 acres in Echo Canyon owned by the Wright family.

Kate Saddlemyer of Summit Lands Conservancy presented the project, saying the deal is structured as a bargain-sale conservation easement and that the conservancy has secured most of the purchase funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). "We are asking ESAP here for $250,000," Saddlemyer said, adding that ESAP’s contribution would be the program maximum or roughly 10% of the easement value.

Saddlemyer described the parcel as working rangeland that supports agricultural uses and scenic views and lies adjacent to Division of Wildlife Resources land. She said the easement would protect agricultural heritage, open-space values and wildlife connectivity; presenters also noted prior protections on nearby properties and discussed a potential wildlife-corridor bridge at a nearby intersection.

On funding, Saddlemyer reported a substantial NRCS award toward purchase costs and said the landowner is contributing a large donation of easement value (the presenter framed this as a significant landowner gift representing about 41% of the easement value). The transcript contained an apparent transcription error in one dollar figure; Saddlemyer described the landowner contribution as a large donation, and the conservancy provided supporting budget figures during the presentation.

Committee members and a nearby landowner raised timing and appraisal questions. A public attendee, Jeff, told the committee he owns property adjacent to the parcel and said he was especially interested in how the easement could affect neighboring land. A committee member asked that appraisals be shared so members can check consistency across projects; Saddlemyer acknowledged the request and said she would provide the materials.

The committee did not vote on the request because it lacked a quorum. Committee leadership said the council had already forwarded a related OSAC/OSAP funding recommendation of $600,000 to the county manager and that they were awaiting the county manager’s signed letter; Saddlemyer said the OSAC action supports the larger funding package. Staff and members agreed to place the item on the Jan. 11 agenda, at which time members expect to address the ESAP funding request and review a GIS map of existing and candidate parcels.

The advisory committee recorded the meeting’s start and close motions by voice but took no formal action on the Echo Canyon easement request; no ESAP funds were approved at the Dec. 14 session. The conservancy indicated it has time before closing to secure signatures and finalize matching grants if the ESAP vote is tabled until the next meeting.