Summary#
This bill would allow a land swap between the city of Greeley, Colorado, and the Forest Service. It describes exchanging about 78 acres of National Forest System land for about 40 acres owned by the City (water rights are excluded). If the City offers to convey its land, the Secretary of Agriculture must complete the exchange within 3 years (or a later date agreed to by both). The United States would reserve perpetual, nonexclusive easements for public nonmotorized access on the Seaman Reservoir Trail and Wintersteen Trail and an easement for motorized and nonmotorized administrative and emergency access. The exchange is subject to title approval, environmental site assessments, appraisals, surveys, and other conditions. Lands acquired by the United States would become part of the Roosevelt National Forest or, if inside boundaries, part of the Cache la Poudre Wilderness or the Cache la Poudre Wild and Scenic River and be managed under the applicable laws.
What it means for you#
- The City could transfer specified City-owned parcels to the Forest Service, and the Forest Service could transfer the specified National Forest parcels to the City.
- The public would keep nonmotorized access on the named trails through perpetual, nonexclusive easements consistent with access in place when the bill is enacted.
- The United States would keep an easement allowing motorized access for administrative, emergency, inspection, maintenance, and resource-management work.
- Water rights owned by the City are explicitly excluded from the land conveyed to the United States and would remain with the City.
- Any parts of conveyed land that lie inside the Cache la Poudre Wilderness or Wild and Scenic River would be managed under those statutes.
Expenses#
- The City must pay all costs associated with the exchange, including: appraisals and appraisal review; surveys and legal descriptions; mineral examinations; title searches, title insurance, and title-curative work; attorneys and recording fees; environmental assessments and required resource surveys; and escrow, recording, and other closing costs.
- The City must pay the costs of surveys and bear costs to correct or finalize map and legal descriptions as required.
- Appraisals must be done by an independent, qualified appraiser agreed to by both parties and follow specified standards and Forest Service policy.
- If the Federal land appraises for more than the City land, the City may convey additional City land (up to 40 acres) and/or must make a cash equalization payment to cover the difference; if the City land appraises for more, the cash equalization payment by the United States is waived and treated as a donation by the City.
Proponents' View#
No publicly available information.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.