|
Prop. 1 passage provides options
Published November 5, 2009
With the passage of Proposition 1 the city and county might now have the ability to purchase land around Laughlin Air Force Base to create buffer zones.
Locally the measure passed with 64 percent of the vote, statewide with 55 percent.
For David Earl, who has been locked in battle with the city over a proposed development near the base for three years, the move could bring closure.
Earl says Proposition 1 grants the city and county the ability to protect Laughlin the way they see fit, while providing fair treatment for landowners.
His asking price for the more than 1,100 acres slated for development? Between $7 and $8 million.
But, to get that price, the community needs to act fast, he said.
Earl says he's ready to break ground as early as January, and once that happens, the price goes up.
“This is a pivotal time. If the city and county would like to ensure this land is used as a buffer, then this is the time to work on that,” said Earl Wednesday afternoon. “Once we enter the finance phase, we can't turn back…once the machine is moving, so to speak, you can't just stop.”
Local politicians, however, aren't ready to be pushed into moving too hastily.
Del Rio Mayor Efrain Valdez, who was reached by telephone Wednesday at a Department of Defense conference geared toward enhancing working relationships between municipalities and military establishments, says he has reservations about buying Earl out.
Valdez worries the city could set the standard in its deal with Earl, prompting other land owners to follow suit - threaten development for higher payment.
“That is the big question, at what price are we going to pay?,” said Valdez, noting he thinks the city should only have to pay what Earl did for the property.
Earl says he's willing to keep the lines of communication open to reach an amicable monetary agreement, but notes he has investors who want to see a return.
He points out that in 2005, when he lobbied those investors, the city was behind the proposed development, and even offered incentives for the project.
But the community's concerns the development would encroach on Laughlin, and possibly threaten its mission to the point of closure, prompted an about face from the city, which repealed those incentives.
“Since then, the city's position has been cut your losses and walk away, and that's not going to happen…we have an obligation to our investors,” says Earl.
Val Verde County Commissioner Beau Nettleton, who has been deeply involved in measures meant to protect Laughlin, says the passage of Proposition 1 provides municipalities with a tool needed to quite some time.
“It's a good piece of legislation that would allow us the ability to go out to the voters to see if they want to raise taxes to protect the base,” said Nettleton.
But he, too, is not ready to be pushed into a deal without all of the facts, and a properly implemented, detailed plan of action.
“I think at the end of the day we are going to have to purchase some property around the base to protect it, but I don't think this community is going to spend one penny without a plan in place,” said Nettleton.
He says first and foremost, the city and county need to implement the measures outlined in a Joint Land Use Study recently completed with the assistance of the Department of Defense.
In the study, there are outlines noting which properties are the most at risk of interfering with Laughlin's mission, and Nettleton says any purchases should be based on that study, not pressure from landowners.
“If (Earl) breaks ground in January, he breaks ground in January, that's just the way it is. I'm not going to be pushed into a position to spend taxpayer money that may or may not need to be spent,” said Nettleton.
Kristin Terk Belt, whose family owns the 9,100-acre Sycamore Creek Ranch south of Laughlin, is hopeful Proposition 1 will provide landowners a fair shake.
Belt hotly argued against a bill presented to lawmakers last year, and took her position to the state capitol when lobbyist tried to pass it.
Supporters of the bill said it would've granted municipalities the ability to regulate land use around Laughlin to help protect its mission, while still allowing for some development, but Belt says it was an attempt to strip property owners of their rights.
“I'm all for protecting Laughlin, but I don't want anyone telling me what I can and can't do with my property,” says Belt. “If you're worried about it, buy us out, but give us fair market value.”
Though her family's ranch is primarily used for recreation, Belt says she doesn't want to lose the right to develop in the future.
“You never know what you're going to do with your property, especially when you bought it 25 years ago like my father did,” she said, adding that if the military was worried about encroachment, they should buy the land. “I don't see why this is something that should be passed on to the local taxpayer.”
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
