SUTEY RANCH LAND EXCHANGE FINAL
Carbondale—Two major pieces of property near Carbondale now belong to the public. The final documents were entered into the official record transferring the 557 acre Sutey Ranch north of Carbondale and the 112 acre Haines Parcel along Prince Creek south of Carbondale to the Bureau of Land Management. BLM Acting Field Manager Shonna Dooman says the land exchange will greatly benefit the public by conserving lands for wildlife, providing opportunities for recreation and consolidating ownership. The historic land exchange involves land in Garfield, Pitkin and Eagle counties. In the swap, land owners, Leslie and Abigail Wexner, founders of the Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works empire, received over 12-hundred acres in Pitkin County and just over 200 acres in Eagle County. The Wexners are placing conservation easements on the land to prevent development. Dooman says site-specific management plans will be put together soon for the Sutey Ranch and Haines Parcel.
PITCO ROADS BEING TORN UP BY OHV AND ATV USE
Aspen—Pitkin County roads are being overrun with ATV riders who either don’t know they’re breaking a state law or simply don’t care. County officials want the public’s opinion. Tomorrow night, public works officials will hold an open house and present four options to address the increase in Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use on county roads. The first option is a status quo approach where the state law banning OHV and ATV use on county roads would be strictly enforced. The second option would open four roads co-claimed by Pitkin County and the forest service for OHV use. Option three opens up 86 miles of county roads and the fourth option calls for opening all county roads including the back side of Aspen Mountain. Wednesday’s open house will be held at the Pitkin County Library from 4 to 6 pm.
MEDICAL WEED BILL HEADED TO GOVERNOR’S DESK
DENVER (AP) – Marijuana use shouldn’t be banned while people await trial. That’s according to a bill that passed the Colorado Legislature. The bill applies only to medical marijuana patients, not all defendants. But the bill forbids a court from saying that criminal defendants who are marijuana patients must abstain from pot as a condition of bond. The measure has already passed the Senate and now awaits the signature of Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is expected to agree to the idea. Colorado has already decided that marijuana use shouldn’t be off-limits for people on probation. A fiscal analysis prepared for lawmakers says the bond measure won’t cost any money. That’s because pot abstention isn’t usually a condition of bond.
