Land Board OK's Goguen land swap
The Daily Inter Lake
The state Land Board on Monday approved a precedent-setting land swap with Whitefish philanthropist Michael Goguen that will breathe life into the long-awaited Trail Runs Through it project in the Whitefish area.
The board unanimously OK'd a proposal to swap 570 acres of Goguen's land in the Lupfer Road area with 435 acres of state land, a move that will boost public access, recreational opportunities and land conservation on state trust lands near Whitefish.
In a formal agreement with the city of Whitefish and Flathead Gateway Partners, Goguen also will donate $3.1 million to the trail project for construction of the trail and conservation of state lands.
At its meeting in Helena, the Land Board determined that the exchange lands offered by Goguen were of equal or greater value to the state, generated equal or greater income to the trust, provided more acreage, consolidated state lands, enhanced access and had potential for long-term appreciation based on appraisal and economic data provided by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
In a prepared statement addressing the Land Board, Goguen stated, "One of the reasons we've been so successful with the trail and the land exchange is that the vision I have for where I live is the same as the community's, and the state's."
Steve Thompson, a member of Flathead Gateway Partners and chairman of the city-appointed Trail Runs Through It steering committee, called Goguen's contribution an outstanding example for future land exchanges and conservation projects.
"Mr. Goguen is a trailblazer, literally," Thompson said in a press release. "He has been a gracious and community-spirited partner as we have crafted an innovative model to promote land conservation and public access."
Whitefish Deputy Mayor Nancy Woodruff, also a member of the Trail Runs Through It steering committee, represented the city at the hearing. She said the Goguen donation is a boost to the local economy and quality of life.
In addition to the $3.1 million in funding, Goguen's contribution also includes placing an easement for the trail across his private property and constructing and maintaining a three-mile section of the public trail from Two Bear Road to Beaver Lake Road.
The steering committee agreed to leverage the money to raise additional funds when possible. The contribution stipulates at least $1 million be used to acquire easements on state lands for permanent trail corridors and to conserve ecologically and culturally significant lands.
Both the land exchange and the trail project were developed by dozens of local stakeholders through the Whitefish Area School Trust Lands Neighborhood Plan. The state trust lands affected by the neighborhood land-use and trail plans include Spencer Lake, Beaver Lake/Skyles, Stillwater, Swift Creek, Haskill Basin, and Happy Valley/KM areas, surrounding Whitefish.