Bike trail to be extended out of Sundance White Ranch Park

The City of Sundance has granted permission for the bike trail through Sundance White Ranch Park to be extended across city property. The trail, which was created by the Sundance Chain Gang, is currently limited to the acreage of the park memorializing Betty and George White, but the group has requested council support to extend it through the adjacent pasture.

Calling it “prudent” to provide as many recreation options as possible for citizens, Mayor Paul Brooks

According to Clerk Treasurer Kathy Lenz, who presented the request to the council last week on behalf of the group, contact has been made with the current lessee of the pasture and a verbal agreement has been reached.

As to what will happen to that pasture in future years, Brooks said the council can have that discussion next year when it’s time to bid it out again. Lenz shared that this particular pasture brings the city an estimated $145 per year.

Though a motion was made to grant an easement across the land for the trail extension, City Attorney Mark Hughes cautioned the council that this might not be the right path forward. Granting an easement in perpetuity will make the land permanently undesirable to anyone who might be interested in constructing there, he said.

He suggested a license instead, renewable every few years, because otherwise there would be no way for a future council to make the decision to sell the land for development purposes.

“You can revoke a license at will,” he said, which is not the case with an easement. “Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea, I’m just telling you the legal ramifications if you do that.”

Council Member Callie Hilty put forth a friendly amendment to revisit the use of the property for the bike path every two years. The motion was passed.

Construction of the additional trail will be handled by Sundance Chain Gang and will not be an expense for the city, Lenz told the council.