River
Heights considers a gift to public land trust for Zollinger
Farm
By Brock Anderson
November 25, 2005 | RIVER HEIGHTS -- Even the City
Council is faced with gift-giving this holiday season.
Shauna Kerr, Director of the Trust for Public Land in
Utah and Arizona, asked the council Tuesday night to
contribute money towards the Zollinger Farm conservation
effort.
"You're buying a gift for generations to come," Kerr
said.
According to Kerr, the Utah Quality Growth Commission
already awarded $300,000 from the LeRay McAllister Open
Space Conservation Fund for the purchase of an easement
on the property. The conservation effort will ensure
that the land will continue to be used only for agricultural
purposes and be safe from future development.
Kerr told the council Zollinger Farm is the only project
that was funded at the requested level.
"We'd like to close the project before the end of
the year," Kerr said. However, to finish the project
she told the council the trust still needs to raise
another $45,000 to $50,000. Kerr asked the council if
they would be willing to donate $5,000 to $10,000 for
the project.
"I know it's always difficult to find money," Kerr
said. But she said there are certain assets in the community
that are irreplaceable.
Kerr told council members she has all ready visited
some people whose homes border the farm and has received
contributions from them. "It's their visual corridor,"
she said. Kerr said it's fair that she asks everyone
who benefits from the farm to donate towards the project.
The Zollinger Farm is actually not part of River Heights,
but is located just east of the city boundary in an
unincorporated section of Cache County. Providence and
Logan are also adjacent to some areas of the farm. Kerr
told the council she plans on requesting money from
those two cities as well. She also asked the council
if they would send out a challenge to other members
of the community to help contribute to the cause.
"I'm in favor of some dollar amount given to them,"
Councilwoman Debbie Rees said.
Councilman Rob Gines said he would be interested to
find out how much individuals in the area are willing
to donate towards the project in order to gain a better
understanding of the value members in the community
place on the farm.
The council did not make a decision on the issue Tuesday.
Kerr hopes to receive a commitment from the city by
the end of the year.
In other business the council:
-- voted 4-0 in favor of Tessa Guy's request to rezone
her property from residential to agricultural. Mary
Yancey was not present to vote.
-- voted 4-0 in favor of Glen and Pat Trostle's request
to rezone their property from residential to commercial.
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MS |
