The Bureau of Land Management’s Lower Sonoran Field Office is seeking public comments on a proposed direct sale of 20 acres of public lands to the city of Apache Junction.

The city has leased the land since 1986 for use as a rodeo grounds arena under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. A direct sale would allow the city to operate the lands for commercial purposes beyond the scope of the act, according to a release.

The city submitted a request to purchase the land in 2019, in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. The city has identified the need to further develop and operate different types of uses on the land beyond what is permitted by the Recreation and Public Purposes Act and is proposing a direct sale. The primary users of the parcel will continue to be local and regional individuals and families.

“Apache Junction has successfully operated a lease on the land for more than 30 years,” BLM Phoenix District Manager Leon Thomas said in the release. “If approved, a direct sale could allow the city to develop the lands further to benefit current and future users.”

A notice of realty action for segregation of the lands included in the application appears in the Federal Register on Friday. The public can submit comments throughout a 45-day comment period which begins Aug. 19 and ends Oct. 3.

Comments may be mailed to the Lower Sonoran Field Office to the attention of Ryan Randell at 2020 E. Bell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85022 or emailed to blm_az_pdo@blm.gov. Before including any personal identifying information in a comment, be aware that this information may be made available to the public at any time.

Individuals in the U.S. who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services.

The BLM manages approximately 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.