BLM and City of Tucson celebrate Udall Park conveyance
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TUCSON, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the City of Tucson today celebrated the completion of the Udall Park conveyance during a regularly scheduled city council meeting.
“The City of Tucson is excited about what this conveyance means for the future of Udall Park,” shared Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega. "It will allow the City to explore compatible commercial uses of portions of the park helping the City to offer expanded recreational opportunities to the public, and benefiting the City in general."
The BLM Tucson Field Office recently signed the land patent to convey to the City of Tucson ownership of the approximately 172.8-acre Udall Park clearing the way for the City to expand economic and community development at the popular city park. The Aug. 10 completion of the Udall Park conveyance marks the BLM Arizona’s accomplishment of the first of five land actions directed by Secretarial Order 3374 – Implementation of Public Law 116-9, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Act).
“We are pleased to be good neighbors with the City of Tucson and help them celebrate this important milestone,” said BLM Arizona State Director Raymond Suazo.
The BLM granted the City of Tucson a Recreation & Public Purposes (R&PP) lease in 1989 for Udall Park on BLM public land. The City of Tucson requested that the reversionary restrictions be removed from its patent to allow the city to use proceeds from commercial ventures to enhance park infrastructure. This patent transfers fee title of the lands to the City allowing it to pursue commercial ventures in the park.
The BLM allows for the use of public lands by a State agency or a political subdivision of the State and qualifying non-profit organizations under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP). An R&PP patent or lease may be issued when it serves a public demand or public recreation need.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.