8/27/2008 10:26:00 PM Council approves new 80-acre Granite Dells purchase
Cindy Barks/The Daily Courier
The city’s trails specialist Chris Hosking points out the area along the new Canyon and Basin trails that ultimately will link with a new parcel of land.
New trails feature scenery ‘nothing short of spectacular’
PRESCOTT - Even before he learned that the city was pursuing an open space purchase right next door, the city's trails specialist Chris Hosking viewed the land around Willow Lake as an untapped treasure.
To Hosking, the towering granite spires, massive rock mesas, and mix of desert and mountain vegetation on the land offered something that was "intrinsically Prescott; there is nowhere else really like it."
But while the city recently developed parks and trails directly around the lake, the land farther back from the water remained unused.
Earlier this year, Hosking and a group of intrepid volunteers set out to do something about that. For months, they cut brush, moved rocks, and groomed the ground to create a trail experience unlike anything else in the community.
Parks and Recreation Director Debbie Horton noted on Tuesday that while the popular Watson Lake-area Peavine Trail takes hikers through the Dells, the newly developed Willow Lake trails take users "over the Dells, and that's a significant difference."
And of the views from the trails, Horton said: "It is nothing short of spectacular."
This week, the city unveiled its new Canyon Trail and Basin Trail, which offer about two miles of new hiking opportunities.
Signs at the entrance to the trail, just off the parking area for the boat ramp at Willow Lake, caution that the loop is not for every hiker, however.
Hosking pointed out that the rocks that the trails traverse make the Canyon and Basin trails "more challenging and steeper than the rest of the Willow Lake trails."
The signs suggest the trails for "advanced hiking and highly technical mountain biking."
That is because much of the trail surface consists of the Granite Dells themselves. Along with 20 to 30 signs, dozens of white paint dots help to show hikers the way through the maze of rocks.
After the trail work was already under way, Hosking learned that the city was considering the purchase of 80 acres of Dells land to the northeast. He and Horton then hiked that area to find a logical link between the two parcels.
Hosking said he hopes to get started this winter on a trail system that would link the two areas and offer hiking opportunities on the land the city is buying from the Harold James Family Trust.
Along with volunteers, including the "Over the Hill Gang," Hosking said the new trails got help from the Yavapai County Juvenile Probation Department.
Access to the new trails is off North Willow Creek Road and east onto Heritage Park Road, across from the entrance to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Drivers should take the first right off Heritage Park Road, continue past the Heritage Park Zoo, and follow the road to the boat ramp.
PRESCOTT - Less than a month after finalizing a $3 million open space purchase in the Granite Dells area, the Prescott City Council approved another major Dells purchase this week.
In a unanimous vote, and with little discussion on Tuesday, the council approved spending $4 million to buy 80 acres of land in the Dells area.
While the city's most recent purchase included 37 acres on the east side of Highway 89, the new purchase is on the west side of the highway, and abuts the granite-studded land that the city already owns around Willow Lake.
The parcel, which the Harold James Family Trust currently owns, came to the city after trust representative Ron James approached City Manager Steve Norwood about a possible city purchase.
Norwood said James offered the land to the city at a 10-percent discount off the appraised value, which came in at about $4.5 million.
Knowing that the council had earlier placed Dells properties at the top of the city's open-space priority list, Norwood said he moved forward with negotiations. Ultimately, James also agreed that the city could pay the $4 million in two $2 million installments over the next two years, with no interest.
James told the council Tuesday that he saw the open space purchase as a "win-win situation." He added that the trust originally acquired the land about 15 years ago as a preservation move, after developers eyed it for a possible hotel site.
Now, James said, "I'm glad to pass the (preservation) torch to you."
Council members, who had discussed the proposed purchase in closed-door executive earlier this month, had nothing but positive things to say about the purchase this week.
"I'm so pleased that the James family came to us," Councilwoman Mary Ann Suttles said.
The parcel, which Parks and Recreation Director Debbie Horton described as ecologically and topographically significant, would offer an access link between Highway 89 and the city's lake property.
Horton noted that the city hopes to take advantage of that by linking several recently completed new trails near the lake with new trails on the 80-acre parcel.
The city will pay for the property through its open space fund, which gets its revenue from Prescott's 1-percent sales tax for streets and open space.
Currently, about $5.5 million is available in the open space fund. For the past several years, the city has allocated $3 million per year to the fund, and plans to add another $3 million in the next fiscal year, which begins in July 2009.
The 80-acre parcel is across Highway 89 and southwest of the Phippen Museum.
The city expects escrow on the sale to close on Nov. 15.
Contact the reporter at cbarks@prescottaz.com
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Article comment by:
EB
Mr Tongue in Cheek: Did you know this trail was built primarily by folks in their 60s, 70s, and 80s? Prescott has plenty of flat trails good for wheelchairs. It is about time something challenging was built in this town.
Posted: Sunday, August 31, 2008
Article comment by:
JonSE
Mr. Steele isn't so far out with his suggestion. While the details may vary, other local jusrisdictions scattered around the US have enacted similar requirements. Infrastructure must (and will) be paid for, and taxpayers ultimately bear the burden, one way or another. Exactly who and how varies by jurisdiction. Developers share the burden in some locales (generally labeled as progressive communities), while existing property owners bear nearly the full burden in other communities (those with more regressive elected bodies). Prescott needs to decide where it places on the spectrum of communities.
Posted: Saturday, August 30, 2008
Article comment by:
E
I just hope this land is left alone so it can keep it remote feel.What makes is special is that it is for the most part left alone except for the few hardy hikers mentioned. Put in improved trails or picnic areas and all you will see are empty water bottles and KFC buckets the next time you visit. We need to keep some places left as they are.
Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Patayan
i think this is a wonderfulplan, and it's great to see our city working to preserve one of Prescott's natural wonders for everyone to see. There are quite a few people here who are under 60 years old, and quite a few hikers over 60 as well. Not to mention offshoot tourist dollars from those who travel here to see the Dells. Tongue-in-Cheek needs to get off the couch once in a while, the Dells is definitely more than a pile of rocks! It's the most beautiful place in Prescott!
Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2008
Article comment by:
tongue-in-cheek
SAY WHAT? Open space for WHO??? A relatively few hardy hikers, that's who. If you are over 60 you will not likely ever see this "open space" because you can't make the hike, and wheelchairs won't cut it! There goes about 1/2 of Prescott's population. If you are under 60, only a relative handful of the population enjoys serious hiking, what's left for ALL the other residents to use. Since the entire populace contributes to the money that will be used, EXACTLY WHO benefits?? It may be beautiful, but it is still a very large pile of rocks for a considerable amount of tax money. Heck if you could even drive near enough to see it up close, but NO only the hardy few can follow the dots. I think the council got caught up in an emotional moment of living vicariously though the mountain goats. This money should be used to buy open spaces within the reaches of the city that everyone can use, not just a few. Do the math on the WHOLE population to arrive at WHO gets the benefit.
Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Marty Strika
This proactive City Council should be congratulated on reversing the last Council's poor record on Open Space acquisition.
Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2008
Article comment by:
tongue-in-cheek
Mr. Steele: I oft wonder if you are a big time ANTI development OR are you ANTI developER. Reduce and personalize what your posting advocates. IF the city came along and mandated that you "give" them an easement of YOUR PROPERTY equal to 20% of your land, you would be the first one screaming to high howdy. However, you have no problem suggesting a developer be forced to give away 20% of his land. In both cases the land is private property with value to the owner. OH, you say, that is not apples to apples, he is a rich bastard trying to ruin our little secluded neighborhood, while you are just a little old citizen trying to equalize the wealth and make this an exclusive area for originals only. GO FIGURE!
Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
With the pressure on the city budget and for other reasons I suggest there be a requirement for all subdivisions to donate land (10-20%) to open space and titled to never be developed. Large subdivisions should also be required to donate land for schools and even build the school. Why not? Why should a senior citizen living nearby be taxed to build a school for "new" residents needing a school? This has been yet another developer driven cost passed along to resident taxpayers. Wake up people!
