2021 Open Space GO Bond

Why

The county wants to preserve its open spaces for recreational and environmental conservation purposes and intelligently manage its growth.

Bond Details

  • Bond lasts for 26 years
  • $50,000,000 total will be raised through the GO Bond
  • Tax is an estimated $40/year on a $715,000 primary residence. $73/year on a business or secondary residence of the same value
  • Residents will see the tax rate of the Summit County General Fund on their property tax bill increase slightly this year. That is for this Open Spaces GO Bond.

Purpose of GO Bond

To purchase passive and active open space, conservation easements, and construct recreational amenities. The bond also pays for environmental and wildlife mitigation measures and related improvements.

The Summit County Open Space Advisory Committee (“OSAC”) has been created for the purpose of:

  • Serving the Public Interest by evaluating the Evaluation Standards recommended by each of the Regional Advisory Groups and adopting final Evaluation Standards for each Region, advising and providing recommendations to the County Manager regarding the identification, evaluation (including the evaluation of NOIs), and possible acquisition of Property Interests based on the approved Evaluation Standards for the entire county.
  • The Summit County Open Space Advisory Committee, is comprised of three (3) Members of each of the Regional Advisory Groups. 
  • Regional Advisory Groups consist of (7) seven representatives from the North, South, and West Summit County areas. 

Criteria for open space land purchases

  • The county generally acquires properties that meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • Preserving rural areas that provide community buffers including significant agricultural land
  • Land for passive recreation including land for public access and potential trail connections
  • Land with other significant resources, including scenic view corridors, riparian corridors, wetlands, and wildlife habitat
  • Properties that reduce development density, or provide growth limitation/buffers
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