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Journal North: Home | Sports | Opinion | Obits | Entertainment
Friday, October 30, 2009
Deal Reached for Sun Mountain
By Kiera Hay
Journal Staff Writer
The local office of the Trust for Public Land, or TPL, will close by Nov. 23 on 23 acres of prime east Santa Fe land once owned by Santa Fe judicial legend Jack Watson, according to executive director Jenny Parks.
Stakeholders have worked out a three-part deal that will see the property, off Old Santa Fe Trail, roughly split between the city of Santa Fe and a private owner who has agreed to limit development, Parks said Thursday.
A small parcel that includes the old Watson house will be publicly auctioned off to pay for some of the purchase.
“I just think it's amazing that members of the community, a well-respected developer, the city and an organization like the Trust for Public Land can work so hard together to really create something that's going to be enjoyed in Santa Fe for many years to come. In my experience, it's rare and that makes it wonderful,” said neighborhood resident Stephen Post, who, along with wife Deborah, helped spearhead the Save Sun Mountain effort.
A partnership comprised of Save Sun Mountain (a citizens group) and the TPL sprang into existence several months ago in response to plans by developer Doug McDowell to buy the land from the family of Jack Watson and build a small subdivision.
In August, the city's Planning Commission approved McDowell's application for 13 homes, though by that time the developer had already agreed to sell the land for $3.2 million.
The Trust for Public Land gave McDowell a nonrefundable $100,000 on Wednesday as security on the purchase, Parks said.
Around 11 acres on the upper portion of the Watson property, as well as a sliver reaching from the peak to Old Santa Fe Trail, will be donated to the city of Santa Fe and dedicated as open space. Earlier this week the Santa Fe City Council formally agreed to accept the donation, though city officials have said it may be some time before amenities such as a trailhead and small parking lot are built.
Altogether, Parks said close to 300 people “gave their hard-earned money to help preserve” the property. That included about $1.264 million in donations — $1 million of that from one source — and $1.4 million from a “conservation buyer.”
“Everyone brought amazing energy and expertise to this project without any expectation of how far we be able to go,” Post noted.
The TPL will sell a 1.2-acre parcel to cover the final $536,000 of the $3.2 million purchase, which the organization has agreed to cover during the purchase from McDowell. The Watson house has been appraised at about $325,000, while the dwelling and acreage together are valued at around $625,000.
Parks said the house and land will be sold at public auction, likely sometime in January, although a private buyer has already promised to pay the TPL $536,000 for the parcel if bids come up short.
The conservation buyer — actually Old Santa Fe Trail homeowners Steve Lipscomb and Miranda Viscoli — have agreed to limit future construction on their 10.5 acres to two homes, and will allow the public to access already-used trails on the property, according to Parks. Lipscomb is the president and CEO of the World Poker Tour.
“All of it will be coming with a conservation easement, except for the two potential houses. It can never be built on. It will always look as it does today,” Parks said.
Lipscomb and Viscoli, Parks added, have no immediate plans to build anything.
The entire 23 acres was recently appraised at $3.425 million, a little more than the $3.2 million the TPL is paying McDowell, Parks said.
Once the purchase is complete, tasks including lot line adjustments and lot splits will need to be completed, she said. The TPL is still raising funds to pay for those expenses and closing costs, which together are estimated at around $40,000.
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