Perkins Flat will Remain Undeveloped
A piece of land in Emigration Canyon once slated for development is now preserved thanks to the efforts of Utah Open Lands and MSICo, a local real estate investment company. Known as Perkins Flat, the land is rumored to be the 1847 campground of a pioneer scout group led by Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow.
MSICo, which has owned the land since the 1980s, agreed to sell the 190 acres to Utah Open Lands for $1.4 million, which is $1 million less than the property's appraised value.
"We've tried to cooperate with Utah Open Lands all along. We felt like preservation was a viable alternative to development," said James Lee Sorenson, board member at MISCo.
The company has already developed some of its Emigration Canyon land as part of a joint venture. It had 28 additional acres under contract for development when Utah Open Lands approached MISCo with a request to purchase the land.
Just east of Ruth's Diner three miles up the canyon, the 28 acres is the largest piece of flat land left in the canyon. But instead of selling off the property to the highest bidder, MISCo agreed to work with Utah Open Lands and help preserve the land, said Sorenson.
The company offered to sell the 28 acres for $1.4 million and donate 162 surrounding acres, valued at $1 million. MSICo gave Utah Open Lands a Sept. 19 deadline for raising the purchase money, but extended the deadline a bit to give the nonprofit enough time. Utah Open Lands raised the money by the end of September from several donors including Salt Lake County, which donated $485,000, and EnergySolutions Environmental Foundation, which donated $200,000.
It is unclear what the plans for the property are. Utah Open Lands now holds a conservation easement on the acreage, preventing any housing or commercial development. The nonprofit has completed 31 land acquisitions in the state and holds conservation easements on 33,667 acres.
UTAH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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