The full conservation easement for the 910 Cattle Ranch in western Summit County approved Aug. 13 is available here.
The easement bans nearly all development, including for skiing, mining and motorized vehicles except on East Canyon Road. Deforestation, drone use, hunting and other activities are barred.
E-bikes are also banned until future notice, except on East Canyon Road or where permitted by the Americans with Disabilities Act and county rules for older riders.
The county council chair and county manager will sign the conservation agreement with the Utah state forester.
Summit County Lands and Open Space Manager Jess Kirby said it’s one of the final steps before closing the $55 million purchase. She expects that will happen by the end of September.
“This is something to be very proud of, and there's not a lot of counties out there doing this work, and it is something that should be celebrated,” she said at the Aug. 13 county council meeting.
Her department has documented the current conditions on the property to prepare for monitoring and land management going forward.
The county has asked for public input during the planning process, and Kirby said that will continue.
The conservation easement the council approved is specific about what’s prohibited but more vague about what may be allowed in the future.
Kirby’s department is now developing the recreation management and range management plans that will say more about public access and allowed activities on the property. Until those guidelines are in place, the public can’t stray from East Canyon Road.
Most of the money for the 910 Cattle Ranch is coming from a $40 million U.S. Forest Service grant, which was frozen, then rereleased earlier this year.
That set the process back about four months, according to Kirby, but the money has not been rescinded as part of the “one big, beautiful bill” budget measure recently passed by Congress.
Summit County is a financial supporter of KPCW. For a full list, click here.
