Pitkin County agrees to back federal-private land swap at Mt. Sopris

Font ResizeColorado NewsAspen Daily Newsdenverpost.comPosted: 12/15/2012 02:05:21 PM MSTDecember 15, 2012 9:13 PM GMTUpdated: 12/15/2012 02:13:05 PM MST

ASPEN — Pitkin County has reached an agreement to support the long-discussed, controversial midvalley land swap proposed by the Wexner family, it was announced on Friday.

The family has agreed to conserve additional land and fund trails for the county, in exchange for the commissioners' support of a proposal to privatize more than 1,200 acres of federal land on the flanks of Mount Sopris adjacent to the Wexner family's Two Shoes Ranch property. The county had withheld support for the federal land swap, while negotiating in closed-door meetings with the Wexners' representatives over the last two years.

The federal swap proposal is currently being evaluated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Wexners are offering the feds the 557-acre Sutey Ranch, north of Carbondale and adjacent to the Red Hill Recreation Area, in exchange for the Sopris acreage. The BLM also would get a 112-acre parcel along Prince Creek Road allowing mountain bikers access to "the Crown" recreation area. Abigail and Leslie Wexner, owner of Limited Brands, also are offering $1.1 million to the BLM to help manage the properties.

http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/155972

View the Original article