2003 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 45 – Land, Cascade Reservoir area, lease

HOUSE BILL NO. 45

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H0045...........................................................by MR. SPEAKER
                      Requested by: Department of Lands
LAND - CASCADE RESERVOIR AREA - Amends existing law to add parcels of state
land in and around Cascade Reservoir to be available for long-term leases.
                                                                        
01/06    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
    Rpt prt - to St Aff

Bill Text


                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 First Regular Session - 2003
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 45
                                                                        
                                       BY MR. SPEAKER
                             Requested by: Department of Lands
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO LONG-TERM LEASING OF STATE LANDS BY THE STATE BOARD OF  LAND  COM-
  3        MISSIONERS; AMENDING SECTION 58-307, IDAHO CODE, TO ADD PARCELS OF LAND IN
  4        AND AROUND CASCADE RESERVOIR AVAILABLE FOR LONG-TERM LEASES.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION  1.  That  Section  58-307, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        58-307.  TERM OF  LEASE  --  APPLICATION  FOR  RENEWAL  --  ALLOWANCE  FOR
  9    IMPROVEMENTS.  (1) No lease of state public school endowment lands, other than
 10    those valuable for stone, coal, oil, gas or other minerals,  shall  be  for  a
 11    longer term than ten (10) years.
 12        (2)  Notwithstanding  any  other provisions of law, all state lands may be
 13    leased for a period of up to twenty-five (25) years to the federal government,
 14    to federal agencies, state agencies, counties, or cities, school districts  or
 15    political subdivisions when leased for public purposes. Such leases for public
 16    purposes  may  be entered into by negotiation and shall secure a rental amount
 17    based on the fair market value of the state land.
 18        (3)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, only the state endowment
 19    lands, other than public school endowment lands, described below may be leased
 20    for a period of up to forty-nine (49) years  for  commercial  purposes,  under
 21    such  terms and conditions as may be set by the board, provided that the board
 22    consults with the county commissioners of the county in which  the  lands  are
 23    located  before  leasing  the lands described below, and the use for which the
 24    land is leased shall be consistent with the local planning  and  zoning  ordi-
 25    nances  insofar  as is reasonable and practicable. The department shall hold a
 26    hearing, on each of the parcels described below, in the community in which the
 27    parcel is located.
 28        (a)  One (1) parcel-E1/2, Section 5, T2N, R2E, Boise Meridian,  containing
 29        three  hundred  twenty (320) acres, more or less, and located south of the
 30        Boise Airport on Pleasant Valley Road.
 31        (b)  One (1) parcel-SWSWNW, Section 27, T3N, R2E, Boise Meridian, contain-
 32        ing eight (8) acres, more or less, located northeasterly of the Boise Air-
 33        port and north of the Boise Interagency Fire Center.
 34        (c)  Four (4) parcels-E1/2SW, W1/2SE, NESE, Section 31; SW1/4, Section 32,
 35        T3N, R2E, Boise Meridian, all containing three hundred sixty (360)  acres,
 36        more or less, located south of the Boise Airport and west of Pleasant Val-
 37        ley Road.
 38        (d)  Three (3) parcels-SWSW, Section 28; Pt. SESE, Section 29 (east of the
 39        Railroad R/W, now a bikepath); W1/2NW, Section 33, all in T3N, R18E, Boise
 40        Meridian,  all  containing  one  hundred  twenty-five (125) acres, more or
 41        less, located two (2) miles northerly of Hailey, Idaho,  excepting  there-
 42        from,  a  parcel of land, containing twenty (20) acres, more or less, at a
 43        location to be determined with access to the sheep driveway located on the
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        county road.
  2        (e)  One (1) parcel-SWNE, Section 32, T3N, R2E, Boise Meridian, containing
  3        forty (40) acres, more or less, located  southerly  and  westerly  of  the
  4        Boise Airport off Gowen Road; Public Building Endowment.
  5        (f)  Two  (2)  parcels-Part  NESWNE, Section 35, T3N, R2E, Boise Meridian,
  6        containing three and fifteen hundredths (3.15) acres, more or  less;  Part
  7        NENESE,  Section  35,  T3N, R2E, Boise Meridian, containing one and eight-
  8        tenths (1.8) acres, more or less; both located northerly and  easterly  of
  9        I-84  between the Broadway Interchange and the Gowen Road/State Highway 21
 10        Interchange; Normal School Endowment.
 11        (g)  One (1) parcel-Part Lot 1, Section 1, T2N, R2E, Boise Meridian,  con-
 12        taining  five  (5)  acres, more or less, located near the Gowen Road/State
 13        Highway 21 Exit from I-84; Penitentiary Endowment.
 14        (h)  One (1) parcel-N1/2NW1/4SW1/4, SW1/4NW1/4SW1/4, Section 4, T2N,  R2E,
 15        Boise  Meridian,  excepting that portion deeded to Ada County for a public
 16        road, containing twenty-eight and seventy-nine hundredths  (28.79)  acres,
 17        more or less, located south of the Boise Airport and east of Pleasant Val-
 18        ley Road; Normal School Endowment.
 19        (i)  Three  (3) parcels-NWSWSE, S2SWSE, E2SW, Lot 9 (NWSW), Lot 11 (SWSW),
 20        Section 19, Township 16 North Range 3 East, Boise Meridian, containing one
 21        hundred eighty-six and forty-nine hundredths (186.49) acres more or  less;
 22        NWNE,  S2NE,   E2W2,  Lots  1-4 (W2W2), SE, Section 30, Township 16 North,
 23        Range 3 East, Boise Meridian,  containing  five  hundred  ninety-four  and
 24        forty  hundredths  (594.40)  acres more or less; E2, E2W2, Lots 1-4 (W2W2)
 25        Section 31, Township 16 North, Range 3 East,  Boise  Meridian,  containing
 26        six  hundred  forty-three  and ten hundredths (643.10) acres more or less,
 27        all located on the west side of Cascade Reservoir.
 28        (j)  One (1) parcel-W2NENE, NWNE, Section 8, Township 15  North,  Range  3
 29        East; Boise Meridian, containing sixty (60) acres more or less, located on
 30        the west side of Cascade Reservoir.
 31        (4)  Notwithstanding  any  other  provisions of law, only the state public
 32    school endowment lands described below may be leased for commercial  purposes,
 33    for a term not to exceed ten (10) years, and the board may grant, upon payment
 34    of  good  and valuable consideration, a preferential right to renew said lease
 35    not more than four (4) times, provided that the board shall consult  with  the
 36    county commissioners of the county in which the lands are located before leas-
 37    ing  the lands described below, and the use for which the land is leased shall
 38    be consistent with the local planning and zoning ordinances insofar as is rea-
 39    sonable and practicable. The department shall hold a hearing, on each  of  the
 40    parcels described below, in the community in which the parcel is located.
 41        (a)  One (1) parcel-All, Section 16, T3N, R18E, Boise Meridian, containing
 42        six  hundred  forty  (640)  acres, more or less, and located in Ohio Gulch
 43        some five (5) miles northerly of Hailey, Idaho.
 44        (b)  One (1) parcel-E1/2NE, Section 16, T18N, R3E,  Boise  Meridian,  con-
 45        taining  eighty (80) acres, more or less, and located northwesterly of the
 46        intersection of Deinhard Lane and Sampson Trail in McCall, Idaho.
 47        (c)  One (1) parcel-S1/2NW, NESW, Part NWSW, Part SWSW, Part SESW, Section
 48        36, T3N, R2E, Boise Meridian, containing  one  hundred  seventy-eight  and
 49        seventy-one hundredths (178.71) acres, more or less, located northerly and
 50        easterly of I-84 between the Broadway Interchange and the Gowen Road/State
 51        Highway 21 Interchange; Public School Endowment.
 52        (d)  One  (1)  parcel-NE1/4SW1/4,  SE1/4NW1/4SW1/4,  Section  4, T2N, R2E,
 53        Boise Meridian, containing fifty (50) acres, more or less,  located  south
 54        of  the  Boise  Airport  and  east  of Pleasant Valley Road; Public School
 55        Endowment.
                                                                        
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  1        (e)  Two (2) parcels-Lot 14 (Pt. NESE), Lot 15 (Pt.  NESE),  Lot  16  (Pt.
  2        N2SE),  SWSE,  Lot 17 (SESE), Section 22, Township 6 North, Range 36 East,
  3        Boise Meridian, containing one hundred sixty and two-tenths (160.20) acres
  4        more or less; NWSW, Pt. SWSW, Section 23, Township 6 North, Range 36 East,
  5        Boise Meridian, containing  forty-eight (48) acres, more or less,  located
  6        fifty  (50) miles north of Idaho Falls at the junction of State Highway 28
  7        and Interstate Highway 15.
  8        (f)  One (1) parcel-Lot 9 (Pt. NWNE, Pt. NENW),  Lot  10  (Pt.  SWNE,  Pt.
  9        SENW),  Section  12, Township 2 North, Range 37 East, Boise Meridian, con-
 10        taining nineteen and twenty-seven hundredths (19.27) acres, more or  less,
 11        located adjacent to the U of I/ISU Center in Idaho Falls.
 12        (g)  One  (1)  parcel-Lots  1 and 2, Section 8, Township 2 North, Range 38
 13        East, Boise Meridian, containing seven and seventy-seven hundredths (7.77)
 14        acres, more or less, located on Lincoln Street in Idaho Falls.
 15        (h)  One (1) parcel-W1/2, Section 16; Lot 1 and 2  (E2NE),  W2NE,  Section
 16        17,  Township 3 South, Range 18 East, Boise Meridian, containing four hun-
 17        dred eighty and  fifty-seven  hundredths  (480.57)  acres  more  or  less,
 18        located on State Highway 93 north of Shoshone at Shoshone Ice Caves.
 19        (i)  One  (1)  parcel-All,  Section  36,  Township 16 North, Range 2 East,
 20        Boise Meridian, containing six hundred forty (640)  acres  more  or  less,
 21        located on the west side of Cascade Reservoir.
 22        (5)  The  term  "commercial purposes" means industrial enterprises, retail
 23    sales outlets, business and professional office buildings, hospitality  enter-
 24    prises,  commercial  recreational activities, multifamily residential develop-
 25    ments and other similar businesses. For purposes of this section, agricultural
 26    leases, grazing leases, oil and gas leases, mineral leases, geothermal  leases
 27    and single family, recreational cottage site and homesite leases are not  con-
 28    sidered leases for commercial purposes.
 29        (6)  The  board  may  require that all fixed improvements constructed upon
 30    land leased for commercial purposes be removed or become the property  of  the
 31    state  upon  termination  of  the  lease,  and that any heirs, encumbrances or
 32    claims of third parties with respect to any improvements  shall  be  expressly
 33    subordinate and subject to the rights of the state under this section.
 34        (7)  Except  for  geothermal,  oil  and gas, and mineral leases, the lease
 35    year shall run from January 1 through December 31, and all leases shall expire
 36    on December 31 of the year of expiration.
 37        (8)  All applications to lease or to renew an existing lease which expires
 38    December 31 of any year, shall be filed in the office of the director  of  the
 39    department  of  lands by the thirtieth day of April preceding the date of such
 40    expiration. Such applications will be considered by the state land  board  and
 41    be disposed of in the manner provided by law; except that the board may reject
 42    conflicting  applications  for  a  lease for commercial purposes if the lessee
 43    exercises the preference right to renew clause.
 44        (9)  Where conflicts appear upon leases which do not contain  a  preferen-
 45    tial  right  to  renew clause, such applications shall be considered as having
 46    been filed simultaneously. However, nothing herein shall be construed to  pre-
 47    vent  the  state  board  of  land commissioners from accepting and considering
 48    applications for new leases at any time.
 49        (10) In case improvements have been made on land while under  lease  which
 50    is  expiring, and the former lessee is not the successful bidder, but the land
 51    is leased to another, the amount of such improvements shall  be  paid  to  the
 52    former  lessee.  The following shall be considered improvements:  plowing done
 53    within one (1) year, provided no crop has been raised on the plowed land after
 54    such plowing, fencing, buildings, cisterns, wells, growing crops and any other
 55    asset which shall be considered an improvement by the director.
                                                                        
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  1        (11) Commercial leases of the state lands described in this section  shall
  2    not  be  subject  to  the conflict auction provisions of section 58-310, Idaho
  3    Code. The board may, at its discretion, call for proposals and sealed bids  by
  4    public  advertisement,  and may evaluate said proposals and award the lease to
  5    the bidder whose proposal achieves the highest return over  the  term  of  the
  6    lease and who is capable of meeting such terms and conditions as may be set by
  7    the  board;  in  the alternative, the board may call for lease applications by
  8    public advertisement and if more than one (1) person files an  application  to
  9    hold  an auction in the same manner as provided in section 58-310, Idaho Code.
 10    In either case, the board must obtain a reasonable  rental,  based  upon  fair
 11    market  value  of  the  state  land, throughout the duration of the lease. The
 12    board may reject any or all proposals and any or all bids, and may reoffer the
 13    lease at a later date if the board determines that the proposals  or  bids  do
 14    not achieve the highest and best use of the land at market rental.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                     STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 12317

On May 14, 2002 the State Board of Land Commissioners (SB of LC) approved a lease
of 2,124 acres to WestRock Associates, L.L.C. (W.R.) for use as a ski hill and
golf course.  This transaction was the culmination of several years of studies,
agreements and negotiations involving, among others, Valley County, Department
of Environmental Quality, Department of Fish & Game, Department of Parks and
Recreation, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation and the Idaho
Department of Lands (IDL) and SB of LC. 

The proposal submitted by W.R. was in response to a "Request for Proposals" (RFP)
put out by IDL under the direction of the SB of LC.  The RFP sought proposals
from any party interested in leasing the endowment land for commercial purposes. 

The lease to W.R. is currently for a ten (10) year period.  However, the
negotiations surrounding the lease and the intent of the lease itself is for a
long term project and lease term.  Article I of the lease provides that the lease
shall be automatically extended upon passage of legislation authorizing a long-
term lease for the parcel.  Additionally, the rent is structured to provide a
greater return to the endowment beneficiary after the first ten (10) years of the
lease. 

The W.R. project has a much greater opportunity to succeed under a long term
lease.  The use of this endowment land for a ski hill and golf course provide a
much greater return to the endowment beneficiary than its previous use for timber
production. 

The SB of LC is mandated by Article 9, Section 8 of the Idaho Constitution to
manage these lands in such a manner as will secure the maximum long-term
financial return for the beneficiary.  As such, the SB of LC made a business
decision, based on years of review and study, to lease this land to W.R.  That
decision maximizes financial returns to the beneficiary and calls for the ability
to issue a long term lease. 

This legislation adds a portion of the endowment parcel leased to W.R. to Idaho
Code 58-307(3) (non-public school endowment lands) for long term leasing and the
remainder to Idaho Code 58-307(4) (public school endowment lands) for
preferential right to renew leases.  Long term leasing of this parcel will
provide a greater opportunity for success and will provide greater financial
return to the beneficiary.


                         FISCAL IMPACT

Revenue to the endowment beneficiary will increase due to development of a high
value commercial business that will generate market rent on endowment land. 
Development of these lands will also generate jobs, sales tax, and property tax
on the improvements.  Rental for endowment land offsets taxes on Idaho citizens. 

No additional General Fund money will be needed to implement this bill.


CONTACT
Name:        Winston Wiggins, Director
Agency:      Lands, Dept of
Phone:       208-334-0238

Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Impact                           H 4