September 14 2007 update from The Flume---> Click
here.
Dear IM Property Owners.
Thank you for your concern regarding the BLM's consideration to dispose
of 72,000 acres of federal public land in Park County. I have some
good news. With political pressure from IMPOA, the BLM has
extended its public comment period 45 days till March
1st. We also asked the BLM in December to post the maps
which would show the parcels in question. That has not been
done as of this posting on January 23rd.
The December 29th Flume article follows below
this text for your consideration. I have also
posted the written comments presented to the Park County
Commissioners and BLM at their January 10th hearing in Fairplay.
At this point, IM property owners can retrieve a CD copy of the South
Park Tenure Adjustment Plan from the BLM at rgfo_comments@blm.gov. Owners
may also simply submit their comments to rgfo_comments@blm.gov indicating
whether they support or oppose the sale or exchange of federal public
lands in the vicinity of the Indian Mountain subdivision. IMPOA
has obtained a rough
map illustrating the lands in question, although the aforementioned
CD is the official BLM Tenure Adjustment Plan.
I consider this a very serious issue to the values and integrity
of our community, and as such I am willing to receive any telephone
or email contacts in order to provide additional information. Please
contact me at glennehaas@comcast.net or
970-498-9350). When and if electronic maps or linkages become
available from the BLM, we will post them. And, of course,
as new information becomes available we will post on this site.
Sincerely,
Glenn E. Haas
2006 IMPOA President
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Click here for Glenn's
letter to BLM on
February 24, 2007
-----------------------------------------------------------
December 29th Flume editorial
I started my career with the Bureau of Land Management over 30
years ago. I respect the agency but they are dreadfully underfunded. Yet
inadequate congressional appropriations must not be a reason to dispose
of our public land.
While there are several small BLM parcels that may serve a greater
public good in other ownership, I generally oppose the BLM’s
South Park Land Tenure Adjustment Plan. First, if we dispose
of BLM land, we are one step closer to “disposing” of our
rural landscapes and lifestyles, our working ranches, our wildlife,
and the outdoor recreation we value. Second, the BLM has an outdated
view of Park County. There have been significant changes since the
BLM completed its’ 1996 Resource Management Plan (e.g., population
growth, development, county strategic plan, national heritage tourism
area designation). Third, the alternatives do not offer a reasonable
range of choices. Fourth, the public involvement process is not
legally sufficient. One public meeting held in Fairplay on a
Wednesday night in December with comments due in 30 days is not sufficient
when dealing with 72,000 acres. The time period is too short
during a holiday season, the number of locations for public input are
too few, and the effort to solicit input from all Coloradoans is too
little.
Our public lands are an insurance policy, a buffer,
a safety net, and a gift to our children. What the BLM considers an
isolated parcel today may be a valued central park in a sea of development
in 25 years.
Tell the BLM that none of their alternatives are acceptable. We
want our public lands public! Send an email to the BLM at rgfo_comments@blm.gov by
January 15th, with a copy to the Park County Commissioners at pcadmin@parkco.us and
Senator Salazar via his Colorado Springs office at richard_skorman@salazar.senate.gov.
Glenn Haas
PO Box 105
Como,
CO 80432
305 Travois Court
Indian Mountain
Park County
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January 9, 2007
To: Park County Commissioners
Through: Gary Nichols, Director
Park County Tourism and Community Development Office
From: Dr. Glenn Haas
President, Indian Mountain Property Owner's Association
305 Travois Court
P.O. Box 105
Como, CO 80432
Subject:BLM's South Park Land Tenure Adjustment Plan
This opinion is submitted on behalf of the Board of Directors of the
Indian Mountain Property Owner's Association andits 500 members who are
taxpayers in Park County.I would like to supplement my comments that
appeared as a Letter to the Editor in the Flume on December 29th with
three brief points.
1. From a public planning process standpoint, this plan is not legally
sufficient. The BLM has been informed that only 5% of the 2000 property
owners in Indian Mountain are full-time residents. The vast majority
of these taxpayers are seasonal and live along the Front Range.I believe
this to be the case with all the rural subivisions in Park County. Furthermore,
we are dealing land owned by all Coloradoans and citizens of this nation.
Thus, one public meeting in Fairplay on a Wednesday in December is not
sufficient. I recommend a 90-day extension of the public involvement
period with meetings held in several Colorado locations.
2. From a land disposal standpoint, I believe that the three alternatives
in the South Park Land Tenure Adjustment Plan should be rejected. Furthermore,
the BLM's 1996 Resource Management Plan should be amended to say that
all BLM land in Park County shall be retained unless there is a specific
compelling reason, with supporting environmental analysis and public
input, that there would be a greater public benefit if a specific parcel
were to be exchanged or sold. These decisions need to be made on a parcel
by parcel basis in a open, transparent, and deliberate fashion.
3. In the last few years, the American public spoke very loudly that
they did not support the Administration's sale of Forest Service lands
nor did they want change to the existing Roadless Areas in the western
United States. The BLM has been flying below the public's "radar
screen" of awareness on this issue of selling federal land. When
the citizens of Colorado and the nation hear that there is a plan to
dispose of 72,000 federal acres in Park County, Colorado, they again
will speak very loudly in opposition. I hope the Park County Commissioners
will do likewise.
Respectfully yours.
thanks
glenn
Dr. Glenn E. Haas, NARRP, NSPR
Colorado State Universiity/
Aukerman, Haas and Associates
3403 Green Wing Court
Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
ph 970-498-9350
fax 970-498-0053
