City seeks solution to land management woes

Carson City officials are considering swapping or buying pieces of land owned by the federal government to lessen confusion and cost of managing areas where federal sites are tangled among the city's properties.

"Perhaps there's an opportunity to switch control through trades or agreements to have larger blocks of land managed by one or the other, and make the boundaries much more clear," said Juan Guzman, the city's open space manager.

Members of the Open Space Advisory Committee will meet Thursday to look at the worth of hundreds of acres in and near such areas as Ash Canyon, Lakeview, Prison Hill and Carson River. Some of the pieces are city-owned and others are controlled by either the U.S. Forest Service or U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

The city would like to eliminate areas where property ownership forms a checkerboard pattern.

This is when one parcel is owned by the city and one next to it is owned by the federal government. A similar pattern can emerge where there is one piece of government land surrounded by several private landowners. Both types of situations are being looked at, Guzman said, and plague such areas as C Hill and Lakeview.

These areas are hard to keep safe from fire or noxious weeds. And public uses, including recreation, open space and policing, are difficult to manage when there are so many different jurisdictions involved, Guzman said.

"We're not proposing changes of use - property in the public domain will still be in the public domain," said Linda Ritter, city manager. "But we have to look at what we can afford to manage."

One important expense to keep in mind is potential fire-related costs, said Fire Chief Stacey Giomi.

"If the city owns and manages the land, we're responsible for paying fire-suppression costs if there is a wildfire," he said. "And it could be very expensive."

Costs to fight fires are on the rise, and the federal government is reducing the amount it will pay for putting out blazes, Giomi emphasized.

A section of land could be valuable to residents for other reasons. The city is paying the feds annually for use of three acres near Costco to provide drainage to Costco and other nearby businesses.

The city operates many things that sit on or cross through federal land: water tanks, drainage systems, pathways and trailheads comprise a short list. Sometimes there are fees associated with the uses; sometimes there is no charge.

But to change a use - even slightly - the city must go through a long federal process instead of the comparable - and much shorter - city procedures, Guzman said.

"So doesn't it make sense for the city to own the land below?" he asked.

The federal government manages more than 85 percent of Nevada's 110,000 square miles.

Once the committee members make decisions, city staff will add their opinions and the supervisors can decide how the city's federal lands bill will be worded.

City officials seek to resolve the matter by December.

If you go

What: Open Space Advisory Committee

When: 1 p.m. Thursday

Where: Bonanza Room of the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.