More Time Needed for Decision for Arkansas River Farms 1041 Request
~Anne Boswell
More time will be needed to evaluate a request in Bent County from Arkansas River Farms/AV Farms to the Bent County Board of Commissioners concerning transferring property still under regulations to new owners.
The continuance at Thursday's meeting was stated as follows on the agenda:
Public Hearing of the Permit Authority Re: Applicants’ requests concerning the proposed transfer of certain ARF Dry-Up Parcels - In the matter of Resolution No. 2018-5, dated April 3, 2018, granting Arkansas River Farms, LLC and the Lowejkr Arkansas Water Management Association a conditional permit to engage in an Activity of State Interest and to Engage in Development in a Designated Area of State Interest
Gerry Knapp is a consultant for Bent County who presented some recommendations at the meeting. He told the board he felt that there were concerns with parcels of land in the original 1041 permit by ARF that revegetation has not yet been achieved in most of the pieces of land.
The slide below, he explained, shows how much as of this year, has successfully been revegetated following the original dry up.
Knapp shared a few more slides on the concerns of too much swathing and too many weeds. Weeds would grow faster and shade grass that's trying to grow, eventually overtaking the pasture/land.
Knapp made six recommendations to the board.
The trend does show improvement since 2019, however.
Bent County Commissioners will hold another hearing on this matter December 17th, at 9am for a response to these recommendations. The public is welcome to attend this public 1041 hearing.
related content: https://www.coloradonewsyourway.com/post/local-buyers-step-forward-as-arkansas-river-farms-seeks-release-from-1041-rules
video:
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