H.J.R. 22

1

RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING ROCKVILLE
2 OPEN SPACE PROJECT
3 1997 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Thomas Hatch
6 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE SUPPORTING THE CONTINUED
7 PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE VALUES ON THE ROCKVILLE BENCH ADJACENT
8 TO ROCKVILLE, SPRINGDALE, AND ZION NATIONAL PARK; ENCOURAGING THE
9 BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT TO ENTER INTO A LAND EXCHANGE FOR
10 PRIVATE LANDS ON THE ROCKVILLE BENCH FOR PRESERVATION PURPOSES;
11 REQUESTING THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT TO CONTINUE MANAGING
12 ITS LANDS ADJACENT TO ROCKVILLE, SPRINGDALE, AND ZION NATIONAL PARK
13 IN A MANNER COMPATIBLE WITH LOCAL LAND USE PLANS; AND ENCOURAGING
14 THE SCHOOL AND INSTITUTIONAL TRUST LANDS ADMINISTRATION TO WORK
15 WITH THE COMMUNITY OF ROCKVILLE TO PRESERVE SCENIC OPEN SPACE
16 VALUES ON ADMINISTRATION PROPERTY NORTH OF SR9 ON THE WEST END OF
17 ROCKVILLE.
18 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
19 WHEREAS the Rockville open space project involves approximately 1,000 acres of private
20 property, Bureau of Land Management property, and Utah State School and Institutional Trust
20a h LANDS ADMINISTRATION h
21 property, and is for the benefit of Zion National Park and the communities of Rockville and
22 Springdale, Utah;
23 WHEREAS the properties are at the southern edge of Zion National Park in southwestern
24 Utah, within the town limits of Springdale and Rockville;
25 WHEREAS this open space project is supported by resolutions of the towns of Rockville
26 and Springdale, and enjoys broad community support;
27 WHEREAS the National Park Service and Zion National Park have voiced strong support

lilac-February 26, 1997

1 for the project;
2 WHEREAS the Bureau of Land Management and the Dixie Resource Area have expressed
3 interest in pursuing a land exchange for the target properties, and Senator Bennett's office and the
4 Washington County Commissioners have expressed their support;
5 WHEREAS to preserve the Rockville Bench, the communities of Rockville and Springdale
6 have been working with the Jensen and Ruch families, who are the private landowners, the Bureau
7 of Land Management, and the Utah State School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration;
8 WHEREAS together, the Ruch and Jensen properties control critical access to the southern
9 part of Zion National Park;
10 WHEREAS the Ruch property, which is to the east of, and adjacent to, the Jensen Property,
11 is a spectacular 66 acre parcel of rolling benchlands overlooking the town of Springdale that is
12 slated for residential development;
13 WHEREAS the southern two-thirds of the Ruch property is of great value to the Rockville
14 Bench Open Space Project;
15 WHEREAS the Jensen property, the core of the project, provides an increasingly popular
16 and important access to the Petrified Forest area of Zion National Park;
17 WHEREAS the Jensen property is a breathtaking 276 acres of unimproved sage lands and
18 pinyon forest which is slated for development into approximately 80 single family homes;
19 WHEREAS the owner of the property has offered it for sale for public open space
20 purposes, but the offer will expire when the town of Springdale approves the development plat for
21 the property;
22 WHEREAS the Jensen property presently provides an important buffer of open space
23 between Springdale and Rockville;
24 WHEREAS protecting the bench will secure the area for its watershed values;
25 WHEREAS the Utah State School Trust Land is a 320 acre property at the west end of the
26 Rockville Bench at the foot of two prominent peaks along the south boundary of Zion National
27 Park, the West Temple and Mount Kinesava, and includes a significant section of Huber Wash just
28 below the bench;
29 WHEREAS presently there is an applicant to the state who is interested in developing this
30 property;

- 2 -

lilac-February 26, 1997

30a h WHEREAS THE UTAH STATE SCHOOL AND INSTITUTIONAL TRUST LANDS
30b ADMINISTRATION HAS WORKED COOPERATIVELY WITH THE COMMUNITY OF ROCKVILLE TO
30c RESPONSIBLY DEVELOP TRUST LAND IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH ITS FIDUCIARY
30d RESPONSIBILITIES, AND CONTINUES TO DO SO; h
31 WHEREAS the Jensen, Utah State School Trust Land, and Bureau of Land Management

lilac-February 26, 1997

- 2a -

1 properties on the Rockville Bench all adjoin Zion National Park;
2 WHEREAS the Rockville Bench open space project has proceeded as a cooperative effort
3 between private land owners, the two affected towns, and the federal government;
4 WHEREAS this cooperative effort identifies the strong commitment of all participants to
5 the preservation of the Rockville Bench as public open space; and
6 WHEREAS because plans are progressing rapidly toward the development of private and
7 Utah State School Trust properties, there is an urgency to move forward with the project:
8 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah support
9 the continued preservation of the outstanding open space values on the Rockville Bench adjacent
10 to Rockville, Springdale, and Zion National Park, and encourage the Bureau of Land Management
11 to enter into a land exchange for private lands on the Rockville Bench in order to preserve these
12 properties.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature request that the Bureau of Land
14 Management continue to cooperatively manage its lands adjacent to Rockville, Springdale, and
15 Zion National Park in a manner which is compatible with local land use plans.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature request that the State School and
17 Institutional Trust Lands Administration h [ cooperate ] WORK h with the community of
17a Rockville to preserve
18 outstanding scenic open space values on School and Institutional Trust Lands property north of
19 SR9 on the west end of Rockville h , IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
19a MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF SCHOOL TRUST LANDS SET OUT IN STATUTE h .
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the communities
21 of Rockville and Springdale; Zion National Park; Jim Ruch, property owner; Richard Jensen,
22 property owner; Milo McCowan, developer; the Bureau of Land Management; the School and
23 Institutional Trust Lands Administration; the National Park Service; the Washington County
24 Commission; and to the members of Utah's congressional delegation.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-12-97 1:13 PM

A limited legal review of this bill raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

lilac-February 26, 1997

- 3 -