Council approves 25-year BLM lease to add 640 acres to Skyline Regional Park

The Buckeye City Council approved Resolution 50-26 on Monday to accept a Bureau of Land Management lease offer for 640 acres adjacent to Skyline Regional Park.

Staff speaker Bob Weisner said the lease follows a multi-year process: a 2016 council authorization to submit a lease application, completion of required studies (environmental assessment, cultural and biological surveys), and two public comment periods (July last year and March this year). "These lands [are] suitable for lease to the city of Buckeye," Weisner said, noting the arrangement mirrors the earlier Skyline Regional Park lease approved in 2010.

The lease covers two 320-acre parcels; staff described proposed amenities that align with the city's 2025 parks and recreation master plan, including ADA-accessible connections to existing trails, two additional east-side trailheads and a bike skills course on the northern parcel. Construction and implementation of amenities are anticipated in future CIP years (design in FY2030 and construction in FY2031 for some components), and staff said there is no annual lease payment or upfront cost to the city.

Council approved the resolution by voice vote. Staff recommended the action as a low-cost way to preserve open space and expand recreational access; council members encouraged consideration to accelerate the bike skills course funding in the next CIP year.