The Christmas Mountains are a keystone of south Brewster County, and a natural treasure. Now they're for sale. (Dave Mattson)

by John Waters

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) plans to auction off the 9,269-acre Christmas Mountains tract in South Brewster County. The parcel, deeded to the state in 1991 from the non-profit Conservation Fund, will be offered to the public for a minimum bid of $370,800 or $40 per acre.

The property has numerous restrictions and has depressed the offering price, according to the GLO. Jim Suydam, press secretary at the GLO said “We can’t make money off the property so we are ‘moving’ it. We are responsible to make money for the state land fund, and need to sell it.”

Suydam thought the property might be worth $100 or more per acre without the restrictions. Suydam was unsure why the GLO had accepted the property in the first place, due to the constraints.

If the property were sold to a private owner, said Suydam, it would benefit Brewster County as the property would be restored to the tax rolls. As is, under state ownership, the tract is exempt from real estate taxes.

A restriction from the original gift deed may doom the sale. When the Conservation Fund deeded the land to the GLO in 1991, it stipulated the GLO would need the Fund’s consent before the land could be transferred to any party other than the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, or the National Park Service. Suydam confirmed that the GLO had contacted the Conservation Fund regarding the sale and had not yet received approval. Requests for comment from the Conservation Fund were not received by press time.

Earlier this year the local Christmas Mountains Association was granted a 5-year conservation lease on the 9,269 acre property. According to the association’s president Terry Ervin. the GLO can break the lease and offer the land for sale. The association is active in its efforts to eradicate salt cedar from the Lake Ament area. If the land fails to sell, Ervin said the group will renew the lease and continue their conservation efforts.

Restrictions

The 9,269 acre Christmas Mountains parcel the General Land Office proposes to auction in February come with numerous restrictions. Here is a partial list:

* No agricultural, commercial or industrial activity. Specifically no farming or grazing.

* No mining.

* No off-road vehicle use. No new roads. No widening of existing roads.

* No residential dwelling. No outdoor lighting.

* No telephone, cable TV, electric, gas, water or sewer utilities. No satellite dish.

* No subdividing the property.