Briefs Gunnison County

New Riverland entrance on deck
A multi-party agreement has been reached so that plans to improve the southern entrance to Riverland Industrial Park can be implemented. Construction of the new entrance and reclamation of the old entrance will be completed by John Councilman, Inc. at a cost of $111,131.80. That fee will be paid by Riverland over the course of seven years. Paving, calculated at $100,000, will be completed by United Companies, which is relocating its batch plant from the west side of the East River to a previously mined location less visible from Highway 135. Gunnison County will chip seal and stripe the new entrance, work valued at $40,000. Both the county and United Companies will donate their portion of the work as an in-kind contribution. The Board of County Commissioners signed a Development Improvements Agreement on September 20, and construction is expected to be completed by June 2012.

Stallion Park deal reached
After months of negotiation, Gunnison County has struck a deal with Dr. Richard Landy to free up several vacant units at Stallion Park for free market sale. Of 24 homes in the development, 22 sit empty. One is privately owned and one is rented by the county as affordable housing.
In exchange for releasing 18 unoccupied housing units from their deed restrictions, the county will retain four deed-restricted units as affordable housing. The agreement includes guarantees that increases in homeowner’s association dues will be capped for the affordable housing units. The county will also retain the foundations for additional units that were never built.
Dr. Landry appeared before the Board of County Commissioners on September 20, where he questioned whether or not the caps on the foundations would be owned by the county or him.
“We have bent over backwards on this for decades, its infrastructure already in place and they’re part of the package,” said Commissioner Paula Swenson.
“Obviously, I can’t walk away from this, but I think that’s unfair,” said Landry.
The commissioners approved the deal, and a closing was expected within 15 days of that approval.

Tipton supports Crested Butte to Gunny Trail
Colorado Congressman Scott Tipton sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in support of establishing a trail system from Gunnison to Crested Butte.
According to Brian St. George, the Gunnison BLM field manager, Tipton’s letter indicated he met with members of Gunnison Trails and felt encouraged by the potential solutions and the cooperation from the local government agencies.
“It remains a long-term plan but it’s important to know the congressman has voiced some support for that,” St. George said.

Gunnison sage grouse plan in the works
A local group of stakeholders is back in action, tackling a localized plan to balance the protection of the Gunnison sage grouse with local development. The Gunnison BLM has provided funding for a project manager to lead stakeholders through the development of what St. George called a “partnership document,” because it will not be a BLM directed document, but a result of the group’s work.
The initial goal, according to St. George, was to develop the plan before the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) releases a proposed listing decision for the Gunnison sage grouse in early 2012. That decision, according to St. George, will likely come before the group finishes its work but the FWS will still consider the group’s findings.
“In discussions with the Fish and Wildlife Service it will be close enough to their timing that it will be useful for all parties. The fundamental goal is to direct our own destiny in the basin and not sit on our heels and wait for the federal agency to tell us how to manage,” St. George said.