The Prescott City Council will be voting on an opportunity to purchase the Storm Ranch at next Tuesday’s Council meeting.
Background:
• In May of 2000, the voters approved a sales tax increase dedicated to Street projects and Open Space acquisitions
• Since that time, the city has been acquiring strategic open space
• In 2009 the City Council adopted the Open Space master plan that identified the Storm Ranch as “highly desirable for preservation”
• To date the City of Prescott has purchased just under 400 acres in the Granite Dells at a cost of $13,395,000.00
• The average cost per acre to date has been $33,583.00
Storm Ranch (Sundog) was homesteaded in 1926, and the family has been actively ranching there ever since.
In the last 20 years or so, the City has been purchasing portions of the Storm Ranch for Open Space. Now there is an opportunity to purchase the remaining property.
During budget discussions for FY 2023, Council directed that $6,840,000 from the Streets & Open Space sales tax fund be made available for the acquisition of Open Space this year. That money, combined with money that is already available for Open Space, will be enough to pay the $8,500,000 purchase price
Council will consider this at their Tuesday voting meeting on August 9 @ 3 PM.
