Originally expected to close in late 2024, the conservation easement protecting 2,200 acres south of Coalville is finally nearing the finish line. Summit Land Conservancy CEO Cheryl Fox said she’s grateful for the landowning family’s patience.
“We've been working on this for a number of years with this family, and we thought it was going to close in December of 2024 but something got stuck in the system,” Fox said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” July 7. “With the many changes to staffing at the federal government, we were not able to solve the problem. We did finally get some help from Congressman Blake Moore's office, and we were told that it's been approved for closing. So, we're excited about this, especially because this family is lined up to do another4,000-acreeasement contiguous to this first one.”
The landowners will receive financial compensation from both the federal government and Summit County’s open space bond in exchange for permanently giving up future development rights on the property. The county is providing $550,000 for the property and the federal government is providing more than $4.7 million from its farm bill programs to acquire the easement.
The landowners also donate a significant amount in the form of a charitable donation based on an appraisal of using the difference between the land’s fair market value before the easement and its restricted valued after the easement is granted.
“They get paid for that, and then they can continue ranching and farming. They can continue their operation; they can pass it down to heirs,” she said. “The property could be sold but the next owner has to maintain it as a ranch.”
This month the conservancy also expects to close on a 100-acre conservation easement in the Kamas Valley.
“As you drive down into Kamas, there's the 183-acres of the Ure North Meadows property, which we placed in an easement again with Summit County at the end of 2025,” she said. “We got federal funding for that. This is a little further to the north, in the middle of the valley.”
Fox also highlighted several upcoming events hosted by the conservancy. In addition to the annual Blue Sky Bash fundraiser July 31, the organization offers Hiking for Hops every other Wednesday and monthly Mindful Monday with guided forest bathing and meditation in the mountains.
Summit Land Conservancy is a financial supporter of KPCW.
