Carson buys first open space parcel

It's official. Carson City now has its first piece of protected open space.

Carson City supervisors on Thursday approved about $327,600 for almost 18 acres of east Carson City land. It is the first Quality of Life money used by the city to purchase open space.

"We're leaving a legacy for our children," Supervisor Robin Williamson said. "In years to come, we'll be glad that this is in a protected state."

The land, owned by William Moffat Jr., is encompassed by Dave's Power Palace, the Mexican Ditch, Edmonds Drive and Hells Bells Road. The property lies at a juncture key to linking trails planned along the Linear and Mexican ditches.

The undeveloped parcels involve a mix of land zoned for residential and industrial uses. Three residential lots were appraised at $170,000, and the city is offering Moffat the full price for those parcels. About 1 acre of industrial land and almost 5 acres of land in the flood plain will cost the city $100,000.

The remaining 9.6 acres of industrial property are valued at $960,000. However, the city will pay only $57,600 for the property with the remaining $632,400 being considered a donation to the city's open space program.

"We've always said we don't have the money to buy everything," said Steve Kastens, Carson City's parks and recreation director. "The value is $960,000. We're getting it for $327,600. We were in the right place at the right time. Sometimes these things happen. When you're lucky, you're lucky."

The city will also build an observation deck on part of the property to recognize Moffat's donation.

"We'll recognize Mr. Moffat's contribution far into the future," Mayor Ray Masayko said.

Open space planning has been in the works since the passage of the Quality of Life Initiative in 1996. Question 18 authorized a quarter of 1 percent sales tax increase to fund open space, parks and trails. The tax raises about $1.7 million a year with 40 percent going towards open space, 40 percent towards parks and 20 percent for maintenance of new park projects.

The open space committee has about $2 million saved but will only earn about $700,000 a year to purchase open space land. City supervisors adopted the open space master plan in January. The plan notes five priority areas for open space acquisition such as the Carson River corridor, hillsides visible from the city and trail corridors in and outside the city.