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Show ASSOCIATION Clipping Se,..,;ce (801) 328-8678 DESERET NEWS THEATER commission for money to help buy};; itol. The commission has formed a Arizona residents recently ap220 acres around Grafton. :: separate subcommittee to figure lProved a tax to raise $220 million "As soon as we get an appraisal " out how to administer the open . over 11 years. The Colorado lotand the guidelines, we'll have the space funds. ~ery generates $39 million a year proposal in their hand," said AlBrad Barber, of the Governor's to pay for open space projects. der, former president of Dixie ColOffice of Planning and Budget, The commission is the backbone lege and the top fund-raiser for the said a half-dozen people have of the Quality Growth Act, which Grafton/Rockville project. floated ideas or projects past lawmakers passed in March. It The partnership to preserve people in his office, which will provides $250,000 for communiGrafton includes the town of Rockstaff the Quality Growth Commisties to plan for "quality growth" in ville, which has annexed the old sion. their areas. Grafton site; Grand Canyon Trust; The Trust for Public Land, a naAnother $3 million or so will go tional conservation organization to land conservation easement pro- the historical society; Zion National Park; the Bureau of Land based in Santa Fe, N.M., is working grams. Management; Zion museum and "Mechanisms like the Quality on an agricultural trust project in other groups. East Canyon and will likely ask the Growth Act provide an avenue for It has raised $100,000 to precommission for some funds, said .thoughtful protection of this priserve the old church and school Deborah Frey, a project manager. vate land in conjunction with structure, built in 1886, and put on The Virgin River Land PresI thoughtful growth of communia new roof. Now the group has ervation Association also plans to ' ties," said Jim McMahon, Southturned its attention to preserving approach the committee in July ,west Utah Director of the Grand adobe home next to the school. about one of its projects, said ExICanyon Trust, which is involved in theMore important, the partnership ,the Grafton preservation effort. ecutive Director Lori Rose. wants to buy a ranch that sur"That's good. They are trying to ': An interesting dilemma occurs rounds Grafton on two sides, and get their projects developed," Bar- :in southern Utah, where federal they'll need $1.5 million to buy the ber said. "This means some com,public agencies such as the Bureau ranch, preserve the river and the munities will know some of the 'of Land Management and the U.S. nearby buildings, and establish a , Forest Service control a great deal rules." small endowment to maintain the Someone has to match the com- , of open space, McMahon said. ghost town. mission funds, and some local govCritics may say federal lands ofIn Utah, where groups with diernment partner must be involved . fer enough open space as it is, but vergent interest often draw deep to hold the conservation easemany environmentally sensitive lines in the sand, co-mingled efments. areas or visually appealing areas forts like those that make up the "The problem is going to be that along river corridors were settled Grafton Heritage Partnership fasas private land. there are more of these projects cinate Alder. So people who want to protect than there is money," Barber said. "Here you have property own"Weare going to have to find some ; the integrity of those lands and the ers who are very concerned about way to hone it down aud figure out, '1 "magnificent views" are doing so property rights; you have tree 'How do we pick the strongest on private lands, McMahon said. huggers who are concerned about projects?' " \ That's what is happening in . the wildlife; you have history , Grafton. The most successful land presbuffs, you have townspeople. . .," Last month, town leaders in ervation programs in the country he said. have some sort of state funding, ei- Rockville,located east of Hurri"You have people of wildly difther a real estate transfer tax, a lo- cane on the road toward Zion Naferent ethos, but we don't get too) cal option sales tax or a lottery. tional Park, voted to ask the uptight about our ideologies." -- ,: |
