Boise Purchases Hammer Flat
Mayor David Bieter and the City Council on Tuesday announced the purchase of Hammer Flat -- a 701-acre wintering range for mule deer, elk and antelope in east Boise -- using $4.1 million in funds generated by the 2001 foothills serial levy.
The Mayor and Council approved the $4.1 million expenditure at a special council meeting at City Hall.
"Of all the incredible land acquisitions made through the Foothills serial levy, this is the most significant in terms of wildlife preservation," Mayor Bieter said. "By putting this land into public hands, we will protect it and the wildlife it supports for generations to come."
Hammer Flat is a vast plateau located north of Highway 21 above the Black Cliffs near Lucky Peak Reservoir. It is considered to be the most crucial wildlife protection area in the Boise Valley. The area's relatively low elevation provides a needed winter habitat for as many as 2,000 mule deer at a time, many coming from as far away as the Stanley basin.
The Idaho Department of Fish & Game will manage the Hammer Flat property for wildlife habitat in a manner consistent with the Boise Wildlife Management Area plan. No trails are planned for the property.
The two-year serial levy, approved by voters in 2001, generated $10 million for the protection of open space in the Boise Foothills. A 12-member Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee advises the Mayor and Council on land acquisitions. The committee focuses on protecting critical wildlife habitat, riparian corridors, rare plants, historic sites, and potential trail connections.
Purchase of this prime wildlife habitat was negotiated with the Johnson family. The Johnsons and Skyline Development Co. had planned to build a residential development on the site. The Johnson family, in partnership with Sterling Savings Bank and other project partners, worked with the City of Boise to coordinate the acquisition.
To date, $10.6 million in serial levy fund, combined with over a million dollars in cash donations, has allowed the city to conserve 10,471 acres in the Boise Foothills, with an estimated market value of $34.1 million.
For More Information: http://www.cityofboise.org Contact: Dave Bieter (mayor@cityofboise.org) |
