Caspar Community Meeting: March 1999

Caspar News and Press Releases

Caspar meeting to tackle acquisition and planning

The March meeting of the Caspar Community Organization will feature important presentations of plans for the future of the town. The event will take place at 3:00PM. Sunday, March 14, at the Caspar Jewish Community Center on Caspar Road.

The Community's Plan and Acquisition Committee will present two major topics, which have been the focus of the committee's work for many months.

First, committee members will explain possible ways in which the Caspar Community will be able to control, and perhaps acquire the Caspar Cattle Company lands, which are currently for sale. This piece of property comprises nearly 300 acres and takes in much of the heart of Caspar village. The Caspar Community organization was formed in late 1997 largely in response to this possible sale, which could change the future of the town forever.

After a year of planning, which has included voluminous input from residents, four alternatives have been identified. 1) Optioning of the land under the auspices of some large public benefit organization; 2) The Bridging Plan, in which a few local investors help the community acquire the parcel; 3) The Phased Acquisition Plan, which employs rolling options and perhaps a subscription drive for investors to acquire control of the land over a period of time; 4) The Condominium/Cooperative Plan, whereby a corporation is formed which locates buyers and investors.

"The only other alternative," said Michael Potts, one of the committee members, "is The Maximum Sprawl Plan, which is our worst nightmare." If the land is sold piecemeal and developed under the current zoning and sales provisions there could be, for example, a total of seven 2-3 story commercial buildings built on the west side of Caspar Road across from the Caspar Inn.

The second major item on the agenda is the presentation of a document known as the Land Use Narrative. It is based on the designs drawn up by U.C.Berkeley graduate students under the direction of Dr. Randy Hester, which was completed last year after much research and discussion with residents. The Land Use Narrative is based upon the attractive pictures presented by the UC plan and describes a series of steps by which to achieve the plan. "This puts some teeth in the proposal," says Judy Tarbell, another committee member.

"We think this is a forward looking plan," adds Potts. "Most documents like this are written while looking in the rear view mirror. We've tried look ahead through the windshield, and plan for what is coming."

As is the custom at all Caspar Community meetings, public participation is encouraged and respected. There will be time for attendees to make their feelings known and to exchange ideas.

Also scheduled for Sunday's meeting is an update on incorporation of the Caspar Community as a non-profit organization, the first step to achieving 501 (c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service.

The Plan and Acquisition Committee consists of Chairperson Meridian Green, Mike Dell'Arra, Hunter, Susan Keller, Patty Madigan, Michael Potts, Judy Tarbell, Vince Taylor, and Peter Wells.

For more information on this meeting, Caspar, and the Caspar Community, contact Pat Ackley, the Caspar Community Coordinator, at 964-4997 or visit the website at CasparCommons.org .

« previous   : :   index   : :   next »