Victory!!
Shoreline subdivision saga at an end
Sunday, August 26, 2007 Breaking news!
The threat of a large, illegal subdivision along Mono Lake’s western shore
has ended. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area has purchased 90% of the Mono Lake
parcel, previously owned by the Cunningham family. The land will become
part of a proposed land trade with the US Forest Service, assuring that it
will be protected in its natural state for future generations.
Mono Lake supporters and the Mono Lake Committee raised substantial legal and ecological concerns about the subdivision concept, making it clear that there would be tremendous public and legal opposition to the project and advocating a land trade as the solution to this issue. All Mono Lake friends should take a moment to celebrate the success that we’ve won here. Standing united, we’ve once again proved that a group of dedicated people can change the future by speaking from our hearts on behalf of Mono Lake!
The transaction marks the end to a five-year saga in which a 30-unit resort home subdivision proposed by the owners threatened to damage the unique ecological resources of Mono Lake, forever change the rural feel of the west shore, and undermine the integrity of the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area.
Details are still coming in, but it appears that the
parcel now owned by MMSA includes all original property portions west of
Highway 395, including the existing structures and virtually all of the
proposed subdivision sites. Recognizing the critical importance of this
property, MMSA paid a premium for the property—and spent untold hours in
lengthy negotiations.
This is the second time MMSA has taken ownership of the property. However
this time there are no options or buyback clauses that would allow the
Cunninghams to regain ownership in the future.
Mono Lake supporters familiar with this issue will
note that 10% of the property remains under the ownership of the
Cunninghams. This sliver of land is located east of Highway 395, between
the highway and the boundary of the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve. The
Cunninghams’ goals for the land are unclear but rumor has it that they may
seek to pursue a shaky claim of ownership to State Reserve lands.
More background on the Cunningham Property
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