Summit County, Utah (August 22, 2023) — On August 24, 2023, the Summit County Council will hold a special meeting to consider the Summit County Manager’s recommendation to approve an option agreement to purchase the 910 Cattle Ranch, an 8,576-acre property north of Jeremy Ranch, for $55 million. The overall transaction contemplates a four-year option to acquire the property, along with an immediate lease to give the County control of the property during the option period.The 910 is one of the last contiguous mountain ranches privately held by a single landowner in western Summit County and the Snyderville Basin area. The ranch is home to an extraordinary variety of wildlife including birds, large mammals, and fish. There will be no hunting on the property.
“The 910 Cattle Ranch is remarkable in its beauty and ecological diversity and holds great promise for a wide variety of uses that embody the diverse values of Summit County residents, including conservation, preservation of wildlife habitat, protection and management of an important wildland environment, public recreation, agriculture, educational and research opportunities,” Summit County Council Chair Roger Armstrong said. “We are grateful for the property owner’s dedication to conserve this land and its wild inhabitants and allowing Summit County to do so.”
Summit County Lands and Natural Resources Director Jess Kirby has been integrally involved in the transaction from the inception and will lead the County’s grant funding and management efforts.
“The property size and its connectivity to other protected lands is truly incredible,” Kirby said. “This is a rare opportunity—a once-in-a-lifetime property. It is a legacy parcel for our community and a dream come true.”
Summit County’s Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) also reviewed and recommended this property for conservation.
“This is a once in forever opportunity to conserve a unique property of substantial size,” OSAC Chair Wes Siddoway said. “The benefits it provides will be for current and all future generations.”
“The Summit County Council has demonstrated incredible vision and the courage in order to achieve this kind of transformational conservation,” Cheryl Fox, CEO of Summit Land Conservancy said. “This property is ecosystem-scale conservation, which will leave an inter-generational legacy.”
“This is a real legacy property not only for Summit County but for the State of Utah,” Wendy Fisher, Executive Director of Utah Open Lands, said. “For years Utah Open Lands has looked for possible ways to see this land preserved and this news is an amazing win for the community.”
If approved, Summit County will obtain a three-year option to acquire the 910 for an option fee of $15 million with the right to extend the option for another year for an additional $5 million. The option payments will apply toward the purchase price. In addition, as part of the transaction, the County will obtain immediate control of the 910, pursuant to a $5,000 per month lease that is coterminous with the option agreement.
A special Council meeting on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 4 p.m. at the Richins Building in Kimball Junction will provide an opportunity for public engagement. At that meeting, the public can expect to hear about the option agreement details, the land use planning and management opportunity at hand, and they will have an opportunity to provide comments for future desired use. In addition, during the contemplated option period, there will be additional public engagement opportunities to help Summit County shape future public uses and how they will be implemented consistent with the landowner’s conservation vision.
While Summit County will obtain immediate control of the property, the area will remain private property until further notice to allow for comprehensive planning; accordingly, the County requests the public to respect the landowner’s private property and remain on East Canyon Road (NE Canyon Rd) while enjoying the area. Opportunities for public guided tours are forthcoming, but hunting will remain unlawful at all times.
