County eyes Seeman ranch purchase

Douglas County commissioners will be asked Thursday to approve an agreement with the Dean Seeman Foundation for the $2.5 million purchase of nearly 40 acres of ranch land using state lands funds.

Acquisition of the Seeman ranch has been in the works since September 2008 when county staff prioritized the project as consistent with goals of preserving the flood plain and improving open space and public access and applied for state funds.

The property is located on both sides of Buckeye Road behind the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center and the Carson Valley Inn.

Lisa Granahan, assistant to the county manager, said the purchase is being financed by a $1.65 million grant from Nevada Division of Lands Question 1 funding and $933,050 from the seller which is the balance of the purchase price to be used as a grant match.

Granahan explained the purchase is a "bargain sale" in that the appraised and negotiated value exceeds the funds available. The seller is donating the property in excess of the available funding, Granahan said.

The remaining $50,000 in grant funding will be used for additional costs associated with the acquisition including appraisals, escrow, closing fees, boundary surveying, legal description and a zoning map amendment," she said.

"Its close proximity to developed areas provides ready access for pedestrians and will provide a reasonable and practical alternative to motorized transportation between the towns (Minden and Gardnerville)," Granahan said in a report prepared for commissioners.

"It will be a living laboratory for school children in the Minden and Gardnerville elementary schools, both within walking distance of the (Martin) Slough, as well as students at the middle schools, high school and community college."

She said the project conforms with the county's master plan conservation element, forest and range resources dealing with open space, wildlife and vegetation, potential wetlands and flooding and drainage.

It also aligns with the Douglas County trails plan and the Minden and Gardnerville plans for prosperity.

"We're meeting monthly with the towns to talk about what pieces we still need to gain easements or acquisition along that planned trail to make it a reality," Granahan said.

She said the county was grateful to the Seeman trust that "they have been willing to enter in discussions so the property could be kept in public ownership."

She said the county had hoped to acquire more with the state funds, but the Question 1 money could not be used for acreage beyond the future extension of Ironwood.

The property was appraised at $65,000 per acre.

Passage of Question 1 in 2002 created a long-term source of funding to protect Nevada's open space, rivers, lakes, wetlands and parks.

In Douglas County, Question 1 funds have been applied to Mormon Station Historical Park in Genoa, the Martin Slough projects in Minden and Gardnerville, and the Dangberg Home Ranch.

"I've never seen a project that has had such strong conformity with local plans," Granahan said. "That ranked very high with the Question 1 administrators."

Granahan said the project had been a staff effort involving Community Development Director Mimi Moss, Deputy District Attorney Cynthea Gregory and retired Deputy District Attorney Tom Perkins who was hired as a consultant.

If commissioners approve the purchase, the next stop will be drawing up a boundary survey and funding agreements followed by design and improvements.

Plans were abandoned to acquire additional property for development of a community center and senior facility because of the price.