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May 19, 2001 by Janelle Holden What lies beneath a U.S. Forest Service road could hinder plans to construct an 87-lot development south of critical big-game winter range on the San Juan National Forest. Colorado Land and Ranches, Inc., the new owner of Dolores’ Redstone Land Company, was scheduled to purchase the title to Richard Perkins’s 3,048-acre ranch south of Benchmark Lookout and north of Narraguinep Mountain on May 1. But as of Friday morning, closing documents had yet to be filed in the Dolores County assessor’s office. The delay is due, at least in part, to a new study of an archaeological site underneath an access road to the property. Last week, Forest Service archaeologist Laura Kochanski assessed the site and recommended it be listed on the National Register of Historic Places based on the criterion that it will "yield information important to pre-history." According to Kochanski, the site is approximately 500 meters long and is bisected by the access road. In March, Redstone Land Company withdrew its offer to improve the single-track dirt road closest to the property, citing the cost of conducting an environmental assessment. But Colorado Land and Ranches has recently renewed talks with the Forest Service, according to John Reidinger, a lands and minerals forester at the Dolores Public Land Center. Since the property is not an inholding, the Forest Service is not required to give Colorado Land and Ranches any further access than what is currently available to other users. The roads are only open seasonally, to protect the many deer, elk, and bear that use the area to migrate to winter habitat on the adjacent San Juan National Forest. If any improvements to the dirt road are made, the company will likely have to ensure the archaeological site’s safety, or build another route to the acreage. "If they were to develop the road it would have an effect on the site," Kochanski said. Reidinger explained that "avoidance is the first choice" in cases involving an archaeological site. "We are looking at options to re-route the road," he explained. Colorado Land and Ranches has yet to formally request improving the road, but reportedly has already begun building roads on the Perkins property. According to Guyrene McAfee, Perkins’ neighbor, a Caterpillar and bulldozer were being used on Thursday to construct roads to the proposed 35-acre lots on the property. The Forest Service allowed the company one trip with a tractor-trailer to transport the equipment to the site. McAfee opposes the development because the road in question passes through her property. She worries the increased traffic and seasonal owners will lead to problems such as wildfires, noxious weeds, and damage to her own fragile pasture. Like the other adjacent properties, McAfee’s land serves primarily as summer pasture for cattle. All the adjacent property owners have voiced opposition to the development, saying it would dramatically change the character of a landscape that currently is virtually untouched. But until Colorado Land and Ranches makes a move that is cause for an environmental assessment, the public has little say in the proposal. By state law, developments with lots of 35 acres and above do not have to be approved by the county commissioners. Bob Bourque, owner of Colo-rado Land and Ranches, was unavailable for comment on Friday. If the purchase goes through, this will be the third remote acreage Redstone has developed in Dolores County. |
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez Journal.
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