| OCR Text |
Show Salt Lake City Watershed Management Plan ' 99 Explanation: The current level of $ 250,000 is inadequate to purchase strategically important watershed properties. Along with purchasing property, the Watershed and Water Rights Purchase Fund is needed to purchase water rights and mining rights. Property values in the canyons have increased steadily over the past two decades. Lots that have a water connection may cost well over $ 100,000. Lots that do not have a water connection may be sold for approximately $ 5,000 or less. Several hundred private lots still exist in the watershed and in order for Salt Lake City to purchase strategically important property, funding of the Watershed and Water Rights Purchase Fund must be increased. • Recommendation: Encourage Salt Lake County and Forest Service to increase their watershed property acquisition efforts. Implementation: Begin seeking funds immediately after the plan is adopted. Explanation: Salt Lake City alone does not have adequate funding to protect the watershed through purchasing private property. Salt Lake County, Sandy City, and the Forest Service also have interests and responsibilities in the watershed. A coordinated land acquisition effort between Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and the Forest Service would yield a greater amount of watershed protection. Watershed property acquisition efforts may also be enhanced by partnering with businesses and private/ non- profit organizations. A few parcels of land in the watershed have been purchased collaboratively with the help of several governmental and non- governmental organizations. These coordinated efforts have been successful in preserving watershed properties. 2. Use of innovative land use control strategies. • Recommendation: Utilize innovative strategies such as conservation easements. Implementation: Establish a set of innovative land- use control strategies and inform the public about the tax benefits associated with these strategies by June 1,2000. Page 77 |
