Cardinal Land Conservancy presents Loveland property plan; board discusses using PI funds to consider purchase

Andy Dickerson, introduced by the chair as representing the Cardinal Land Conservancy, outlined the nonprofit’s conservation plan for a Loveland parcel and said the group protects more than 10,000 acres statewide.

Dickerson described plans for restoring forest and prairie, creating roughly two miles of trails, pond restoration with fishing access, and a “sound garden” planted with native species to support birds and insects. He said the conservancy intends to sell a less-ecologically valuable portion of the parcel—identified in the presentation as about 15.7 acres—to finance stewardship and operations for the remainder.

Board members and staff discussed whether the Loveland City School District should acquire the property. A staff member explained the district could consider financing any purchase through the permanent improvement (PI) fund—a property-tax funded levy restricted to capital items typically lasting more than five years—so that operating funds would not be touched. “Permanent improvement funds... are funded through property taxes,” the staff member said, noting the fund is more restrictive than the general operating fund and that the district’s five-year forecast will be updated and presented in May.

The board moved into executive session to consider the purchase of property for public purposes at 6:22 p.m. and reconvened the public meeting at 7:26 p.m. The chair reported the board had no action to take that evening but said the board will continue to consider purchase of the property, that any acquisition under consideration would be financed without using operating funds, and that there would be no immediate plans for building on the land. The board requested a financing plan from the treasurer and plans to hear from the community during public participation at a future meeting before making a final determination.