Full Text
City of Missoula, Montana Item to be Referred to City Council Committee Committee: Conservation Item: Open Space Purchase – 216 acre parcel on east side of Mt. Jumbo in Marshall Canyon Date: March 12, 2010 Prepared by: Jackie Corday Initiated by: Parks Department Action Required: Set a public hearing for adoption of a Resolution that authorizes the purchase of an approximately 216 acre parcel with 2006 Open Space Bond funds. Recommended Motion: THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO EXPEND UP TO $410,000 OF THE 2006 OPEN SPACE BOND MONEY TO FUND THE PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY 216 ACRES ON THE EAST SIDE OF MT. JUMBO ADJACENT AND TO THE EAST OF CITY OPEN SPACE IN MARSHALL CANYON FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE PURPOSES. Timeline: Referral to committee: March 12, 2010 Committee discussion: March 17, 2010 Council acts to set hearing: March 22, 2010 Public Hearing: April 5, 2010 (This would be a joint Board of County Commissioners and City Council hearing) Background and Alternatives Explored: The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has asked the City to consider purchasing approximately 216 acres adjacent to the City's Mt. Jumbo Open Space on the east side of the mountain in Marshall Canyon. This land was formerly owned by Plum Creek Timber and purchased by TNC as part of the Montana Legacy Project. The eastern boundary is Marshall Canyon Road and to the north is US Forest Service (USFS) and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) public property. The property consists mostly of steep timbered hillsides with one gravel logging road traversing the property running north/south that leads to the USFS lands to the north. Marshall Creek runs parallel to Marshall Canyon Road along the entire eastern border. There are no structures on the property. The gravel road has been used for many years by hikers, runners, cyclists, and XC skiers to reach the Lolo National Forest to the north. It is closed to motorized use by a gate at the base of Marshall Canyon Road. There is a short spur road off the main road that connects to the Mt. ---PAGE BREAK--- Jumbo saddle road on the City's Open Space. This is an important connection for recreational users that enjoy going from East Missoula, up the gravel road, up the spur road and then over Mt. Jumbo or going from the Rattlesnake to East Missoula. The only other party with legal rights to use the road is the USFS. Plum Creek's predecessor, Champion International, granted an access easement to the USFS in 1977. If this TNC parcel was sold to a private buyer, because there is no recorded easement for the spur road, they could opt to close the spur road, which would then cut off the only access from the City's open space to this parcel. Because neither the USFS nor FWP is able to purchase this particular property due to large commitments to other Montana Legacy lands, it is important for the City to seize this opportunity to protect almost the entire mountain as a whole. The main purposes for purchasing the property are: 1) to further consolidate the City's Mt. Jumbo open space – this property significantly protects one of the last remaining large parcels to allow for management of almost the entire mountain; 2) to permanently protect wildlife habitat and one mile of Marshall Creek; and 3) to permanently protect the trail connection from the saddle road blue gate on the east border of the City's Mt. Jumbo open space to the former Plum Creek gravel road that connects to Marshall Canyon Road. The property is partially within the Mt. Jumbo Cornerstone as shown in the Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan, which means that such lands are a high priority for protection. 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. The Open Space Advisory Committee met on September 10, 2009 and nine of the eleven voting members recommended approval of this project (one member abstained due to a conflict of interest). After obtaining OSAC approval, meeting with the County Commissioners was the second procedural step for receiving open space bond funding. I met with them on February 8th and they gave their initial approval by signing a resolution that states this is a "Qualified Open Space Project" under the 2006 Missoula County Open Space Bond. Financial Implications: If approved by Council and the Commissioners, the approximately $410,000 would be deducted from the City’s $5,000,000 share of the bond. The acreage would be added to the City's Open Space System to manage. Attachments: 1. Map of the property 2. Letter of support from OSAC 3. Letter of support from MJAC 4. Agency Comments 5. Resolution authorizing bond expenditure