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CAIRNS TRACT LAAC SITE ACQUISITION - PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT <br />OF OPTION TO THE STATE (Tabled from 8/27/96 BCC Meeting,) <br />The Board reviewed the following memo dated 9/4/96: <br />TO: James E. Chandler <br />County Administrator <br />D A TMENT HEAD CONCURRENCE: <br />obert M. KedtinJ4 AICD <br />Community Develop ent rector <br />FROM: Roland M. DeBlois, AICP <br />Chief, Environmental Planning <br />DATE: September 4, 1996 <br />SUBJECT: REQUEST TO APPROVE PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT OF OPTION TO THE <br />STATE: CAIRNS TRACT LAAC SITE ACQUISITION (TABLED FROM <br />08/27/96 COMMISSION MEETING) <br />It is requested that the information herein presented be given <br />formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners at its <br />regular meeting of September 10, 1996. <br />DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS <br />On August 27, 1996, staff requested that the Board of County <br />Commissioners approve a "Partial Assignment of Option Agreement" <br />relating to the Cairns Tract environmental lands acquisition (see <br />attached agenda item). Since this purchase involves a 50% cost - <br />share from the State Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) <br />program, under which the State receives full title, the issue is <br />whether the County has sufficient assurance that the Cairns <br />property will remain in its intended conservation use in <br />perpetuity. At the August 27, 1996 meeting, the Board voted to <br />table its decision on whether to approve the Partial Assignment of <br />Option until the County Land Acquisition Advisory Committee (LAAC) <br />reviewed the matter and made a recommendation to the Board. <br />Subsequently, staff presented the proposed Agreement to LAAC at the <br />Committee's meeting on August 28, 1996. After some discussion, LAAC <br />voted 12 to 1 to recommend that the Board not accept the Partial <br />Assignment language as written (see attached LAAC motion summary). <br />ANALYSIS <br />Although LAAC voted to recommend that the Commission not approve <br />the Partial Assignment language - because the language does not <br />guarantee conservation use in perpetuity - LAAC was in general <br />consensus that the Cairns Tract is environmentally significant and <br />should be conserved. <br />In its motion on the Partial Assignment language, LAAC was not <br />specific on which alternatives the County should pursue. However, <br />when posed with the alternative of the County paying 100% of <br />acquisition costs (+$10.6 million), at least some LAAC members <br />voiced strong opposition (although no vote was taken on this <br />alternative). <br />49 <br />Se tember 10 1996 <br />P WOK `99WI <br />