A plan to surround Fort Carson with a buffer zone free of development took another step Monday when El Paso County commissioners approved spending $370,000 in federal money to acquire more property at Rancho Colorado on the Army post’s east side.

“This is important for us to continue to be able to purchase buffer land,” Commissioner Sallie Clark said, adding that military leaders don’t want development to crowd installations and inhibit training or expansion.

In the case of Rancho Colorado, which covers dry hills west of Interstate 25 at the Pueblo County line, the Army is concerned about light pollution from homes that might interfere with nighttime training and possible complaints about noise from the next-door artillery range.

The county struck an agreement in 2005 to use Defense Department money to acquire several hundred vacant tracts. In exchange, the county agreed not to offer water service for new houses there, making it unlikely the land will be developed.

So far, 52 to 55 properties have been purchased for roughly $1 million to $1.5 million, said assistant county attorney Lori Seago, who oversees the acquisitions.

Seago said the money approved Monday will cover about 18 tracts, leaving a couple hundred to go.

Based on appraisals paid for by the Army, the land is being bought for $3,000 per acre, although assessor records show most properties to be worth much less.

The last round of acquisitions in October involved 13 tracts totaling 88.8 acres, for which the county paid an average of $3,862 per acre. Some landowners received nearly $10,000 per acre.

The next batch of properties are slated for closing Jan. 26, Seago said.

The Nature Conservancy of Colorado has played a role in the buffer project, and Sen. Wayne Allard and former Rep. Joel Hefley introduced legislation to accommodate it. The concept, introduced with the Fort Carson project, has been copied by other communities looking to preserve land around military installations, Allard’s office has said.

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Contact the writer: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazettedev.gazette.com  

AdAmAn Club members fought stiff winds as they climbed to the summit of Pikes Peak on Wednesday. Photo by Photo courtesy of Dave Kosley