SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — 130 years ago, the Ure family homesteaded 834 acres of land in the Kamas Valley. Over the years, they herded sheep and cattle, established a dairy farm, and most recently, managed beef.
Summit County recently put a down payment on the property, which came out of a $50 million bond the community voted on for open space and recreation areas.
“We're basically the gateway of the Uinta Mountains, right as you come up and over from Park City into Kamas Meadows,” said Jess Kirby, the director of lands and natural resources for Summit County.
After over a century on the land, the Ure family decided to sell.
“Owning a piece of ground for 130 years certainly brings a lot of family members into it, and as they're getting older and wanting to get out of the ranching business in this area, they approached the county,” Kirby said.
One 185-acre portion of the ranch called "The North Meadows" will be permanently protected, leaving the other 649 acres to be considered for various opportunities the community can weigh in on.
Some of the ideas include community housing for teachers, firefighters, law enforcement and other workers, open space and trails, education, and a museum. The goal is to keep this land from being overdeveloped, according to Will Hodgman, the board president of the Summit Land Conservancy.
“It's an aquifer, so as the rain and the moisture comes down, it gets filtered through it and then it goes off into the rivers,” he said. “What makes this state and what makes this region so beautiful is that there is still a bit of this left. That we have a chance to roam.”
Summit County will be holding an open house on Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the South Summit Services building in Kamas. The county is also taking public comments online.
