The Arizona State Land Department has set an auction date of November 21 for 2,284 acres of property on Glassford Hill, planned for a regional park through an intergovernmental agreement with the Town of Prescott Valley, City of Prescott, and Yavapai County.
Since the late 1990s, Prescott Valley has been involved in efforts to protect Glassford Hill from private development. On November 4th, 1998, after a petition from the Town of Prescott Valley and City of Prescott, the State Land Department designated a portion of the property as suitable for conservation purposes.
On May 26, 2022, the Town of Prescott Valley entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Prescott and Yavapai County for the purchase of the approximately 3,500 acres of Arizona State Trust Land located between Prescott Valley and Prescott. The parties have been working since that time to bring the first phase forward for purchase. The Arizona State Land Department and Arizona State Parks and Trails Department have been extremely helpful in pushing this project forward, a process which can sometimes take multiple years. From the time the Town signed the IGA until the auction date will be 18 months.
This first phase includes the acquisition of approximately 1,317 acres for Prescott Valley and 967 acres for Prescott. Purchase of this property will include the benefits of preservation of open space and opportunities for outdoor recreational amenities for the entire region and state. Proceeds from the auction will also benefit Arizona schools.
The auction for the property has been set for 10 a.m. on November 21 on the Yavapai County Courthouse steps. This is another large step in a 25-year effort to ensure all residents may enjoy this space in perpetuity.
Funding for the project comes from the Prescott Valley General Fund and is budgeted in the current FY 2023-24 budget. Offsetting the Town’s costs is a commitment from Yavapai County to fund 35 percent of the purchase per the IGA. Additionally, thanks to the efforts of Representative Selina Bliss, Representative Quang Nguyen, Senator Ken Bennett, and Governor Katie Hobbs, the Town of Prescott Valley and City of Prescott each received $1.75 million from the State budget to help with acquisition of these parcels. With these offsetting revenues, the Town’s ultimate purchase price for the 1,317 acres will be approximately $1.33 million.
