Full Text
RESOLUTION NUMBER 7515 A RESOLUTION OF THE MISSOULA CITY COUNCIL TO EXPEND UP TO $410,000 OF 2006 OPEN SPACE BOND PROCEEDS, TO FUND CITY PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY 216 ACRES ON THE EAST SIDE OF MT JUMBO IN MARSHALL CANYON ADJACENT TO CITY OPEN SPACE, FOR OPEN SPACE PURPOSES. WHEREAS, the City of Missoula has adopted the Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan 2006 Update (“Open Space Plan”), which envisions an open space system for the greater Missoula area; and WHEREAS, the Open Space Plan lists Mt Jumbo as a cornerstone element of Missoula’s open space system and encourages the preservation of land in their natural ecological state as well as wildlife habitat and rare and unique plant communities; and WHEREAS, a vote of Missoula County citizens in November 2006 authorized the Missoula County Commissioners to issue $10 million dollars of Open Space Bonds to acquire open space land, $5,000,000 of which is allocated for lands in or near the City, as guided by the Open Space Plan; and WHEREAS, the November 2006 open space bond election ballot lists purchasing lands that provide open space and scenic landscapes and protecting wildlife habitat as two of the allowed types of bond expenditures; and WHEREAS, the Marshall Canyon property, consisting of approximately 216 acres as shown in Attachment A, is bordered on the west side by Mt Jumbo City Open Space and land owned by MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (FWP), on the north by Lolo National Forest, and to the east by land owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and thus the purchase will provide further continuity and consolidation of open space; and WHEREAS, the property consists predominately of coniferous forest that provides good wildlife habitat for elk, mule deer, black bear, various small mammals, and numerous migratory song birds; and WHEREAS, Marshall Creek runs parallel to Marshall Canyon Road along the entire eastern border, which supports a native Westslope Cutthroat trout population; and WHEREAS, there is a former Plum Creek Timber gravel road that traverses the property that has been used for many years by hikers, runners, cyclists, and XC skiers and is closed to motorized use by a gate at the base of Marshall Canyon Road. There is also a short spur road off the main road that connects to the Mt. Jumbo saddle road on the City's Open Space that serves as an important connection for recreational users, which could be closed off if the property was sold to a private buyer; and WHEREAS, the property meets five out of the seven types of lands listed by the 2006 Open Space bond protecting the water quality of rivers, lakes and streams (Marshall Creek); protecting wildlife habitat; providing open space and scenic landscapes, managing for growth, and providing recreational trails; and WHEREAS, FWP, USFS, and the Mt. Jumbo Advisory Committee all sent comments regarding their support for the City's purchase of the property; WHEREAS, the Open Space Advisory Committee met on September 10, 2009 and recommended approval of purchasing the TNC property; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Missoula City Council authorizes the Mayor to conclude a purchase at the purchase price of $400,000, plus the prorated share of taxes, survey and closing costs, and other project related costs up to $10,000, from the 2006 open space bond proceeds, to fund City acquisition of approximately 216 acres on east Mt. Jumbo for open space purposes. ---PAGE BREAK--- PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of April, 2010. ATTEST: APPROVED: Martha L. Rehbein John Engen Martha L. Rehbein, CMC John Engen City Clerk Mayor (SEAL)