Present: Tom Sheridan, Mette Brogden, Tom Chilton, Carl
Jones, Kitty Knepper, John Rowley, Harold Barnett, Debbie Hecht,
Staff: Linda Mayro, Micaela McGibbon, and Elsa Pesqueira.
1. CALL TO ORDER & INTRODUCTIONS
T. Sheridan called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m. The aforementioned
members and attendees introduced themselves. Kitty Knepper will
be a new member representing ranchers and the Avra Valley Conservation
Alliance. T. Chilton introduced Jon Rowley, whom he has asked
to replace him on the Ranch Conservation Technical Advisory Team.
T. Sheridan welcomed J. Rowley and K. Knepper to the committee.
L. Mayro thanked Tom Chilton for serving and welcomed him to continue
to attend meetings as his time permits him to do so.
2. REVIEW OF MINUTES FROM 2/14/00 and 3/22/00 MEETINGS
After review, T. Sheridan called for a motion to accept the Minutes
from the 2/14/00 meeting. M. Brogden made a motion to accept the
Minutes. C. Jones seconded the motion. Minutes accepted.
After review, T. Sheridan called for a motion to accept the Minutes from the 3/22/00 meeting. M. Brogden made a motion to accept the Minutes. T. Chilton seconded the motion. Minutes accepted.
3. SONORAN DESERT CONSERVATION PLAN: Update
L. Mayro gave an update on the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.
She listed the various reports being prepared by consultants,
gave an overview for the benefit of the new members of what had
occurred with the Ranch Conservation Team over the last nine months
and outlined what would be occurring between now and July, 2000.
L. Mayro stated that staff are beginning to produce sub-area reports
for each of the valleys. L. Mayro reported on the last Steering
Committee session held about a month ago that covered the Altar
Valley and Upper San Pedro Valley. She passed around "Resources
of the Altar Valley" as an example of a subarea report. This
is a compilation of all the special studies that also includes
the ranch conservation element. L. Mayro emphasized that these
are working documents--works in progress, and that revisions and
new information are welcome.
L. Mayro announced the next Steering Committee meeting will
be on April 29, 2000 at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. The
next session is scheduled to cover the Empire-Cienega Valley and
Avra Valley. The public is invited to these educational sessions.
At the end of session sign-up sheets are provided for interested
people to sign up for the land base committees.
L. Mayro outlined the reports that are anticipated for the Ranch
Conservation element:
1) "Ranching in Pima County;" an overview of ranching
(November 1999);
2) Sub-area Reports for each of the valleys that quantify objective
data on ranching; (in progress);
3) "Preserving Ranching in Pima County," some of the
tools needed to achieve ranch conservation, and other considerations/incentives
ranchers need like long-term tenure on public land; certainty
of continued grazing use; assistance with enhancements to land;
etc. (in progress with assistance from committee);
4) "Preliminary Ranch Conservation Element" (regional
synthesis of data and potential ranch conservation areas).
L. Mayro will synthesize the quantifiable land based ranching
information on all the sub-areas and produce a draft Ranch Conservation
element in June or July, 2000. L. Mayro stated that land panel
committees are being formed with names of stakeholders who volunteer
to serve. The purpose of the land panels will be to understand
the data so that informed conservation and land use recommendations
can be made regarding conservation element alternatives.
L. Mayro passed out the "Ironwood Preserve" handout for information.
L. Mayro stated that by July 2000 we should have a baseline document that characterizes the conservation elements and growth and planning issues for eastern and western Pima County. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is estimated at 12-18 months. The steering and technical committees and land panels will recommend alternatives to achieve the various goals.
T. Sheridan stated the importance of the ranchers being ready
when the real "horse-trading" begins, because the developers
will be ready, and the environmentalists will be ready.
4. REVIEW OF DRAFT SUB-AREA REPORT to STEERING COMMITTEE
L. Mayro asked for comments on the last Steering Committee meeting.
H. Barnett stated that it was a good overview to the sub-areas.
Also, he said he realizes the costs involved but it would be easier
to read it if maps were in color.
L. Mayro asked if there were any questions or new data for the
sub-area reports to please call her.
5. LAND OWNER CONSERVATION OPTIONS
D. Hecht gave a presentation on landowner options that can help
ranchers keep their lifestyle. Basically, the landowner sells
parcels of land with very strict enforceable deed restrictions
that allow ranching to continue. She passed out the handout "Sonoran
Desert Conservation Plan Proposed Ranch Development Model"
and the Amended and Restated-Feb 22, 1999 Declaration of Restriction
of Crown C Property Owners Association, Inc. D. Hecht stated that
the Crown C is an example of how this option can work where a
parcel is subdivided but the building envelope is restricted to
allow grazing elsewhere on the contiguous parcels. After her presentation
there was discussion on deed restrictions, and how this kind of
subdivision might or might not work well for ranching. 6. RANCH
CONSERVATION ELEMENT: Data & Ranch Team Statements
T. Sheridan stated that the Science Team came and spoke to the
Ranch Team a few months ago. Last month, T. Sheridan, M. McGibbon,
Dan Robinett, and N. Sayre went and spoke to the Science Team.
T. Sheridan said that the one thing all the teams, Science, Ranch,
and Implementation, feel is that there needs to be more interaction
between the teams. T. Sheridan commented on the positive feedback
he received from RECON, the consultants doing the biological study.
T. Sheridan stated that we can provide education to the Science Team and Steering Committee on not only ranching but also some of the options that are available, such as Purchase Development Rights (PDR) and State Trust Lands. He has asked M. Brogden to speak about how the Roundtable has been grappling with these issues for three years now.
M. Brogden began by giving an introduction on how the Roundtable
started. Initially they were looking at what ranches needed to
be viable and address all issues on deeded property-policy that
would help relieve pressure for development on deeded portion
of land. Challenges were occurring in tenure. Some issues include:
Purchase of development rights,
Extended leases for some level of stewardship,
Animal units reduced,
Federal issues were difficult to tackle.
M. Brogden stated to help stabilize stewardship the legislation
established "Growing Smarter Commission." The Roundtable
was able to comment on Purchase Development Rights concerning
State Trust Lands.
T. Sheridan asked about a "white paper" that was produced by the Roundtable. M. Brogden stated that a "white paper" was produced about ranch, open space conservation. She also noted that an update paper is currently being prepared by the Roundtable on PDR and would be released in June. T. Sheridan asked if this paper could be distributed to the Steering Committee. M. Brogden did not think this would be a problem. M. Brogden stated that one of the problem with State Lands is that it has to be administered for fiduciary trust.
T. Sheridan stated that his immediate concern what kind information we can regenerate for the Steering Committee and the other advisory teams that will educate them about ranching, why it is important to Pima County, what are some of the options to preserve ranching.
M. Brogden stated that would require some work on her part to produce a position statement on State Trust Lands that is done at the Roundtable on the discussion level.
L. Mayro added that for conservation plan to be viable and for the issuance of a 25-30 year term ESA Section 10 permit by USFWS, we need assurances for longer leases.
NEXT MEETING & AGENDA:
Set for May 11, 2000 from 3-5PM at Arizona State Museum. Agenda
to discuss Ranch Team contributions to "Preserving Ranching
in Pima County" and discussion of preliminary statement of
"Ranch Conservation Element."
8 ADJOURN: Meeting adjourned at 5:10PM