The Board of
Directors of the Dutchess Land Conservancy has adopted criteria
governing the acceptance of conservation easements. The reason for
this is to assure that preservation activities are directed toward
properties that are truly worthy of protection. Easements must be
accepted by a vote of the Conservancy's Board or Executive
Committee. Each property is evaluated after careful investigation of
its resources and qualities. Accepting Conservation Easements is
based on DLC's discretion; meeting any and all of these criteria
does not obligate DLC to accept an easement.
To accept an easement, the DLC Executive Committee must find that at
least five of the criteria are met. If less than five are met, but
the property has special significance in relation to any of the
criteria, the full Board may accept an easement with a written
explanation of its reasons for doing so.
Any development permitted under the easement shall minimize impacts
on and demonstrate significant measures to protect the scenic,
agricultural, ecological, watershed, recreational, or other resource
values of the property. The Conservancy will request an endowment
for monitoring and enforcement.
Criteria For Acceptance Of Conservation Easements.
1. The property is
visible to the public from roadways, waterways, recreational areas
or other public places and/or contains an important ridgeline.
2. The development of the property would diminish scenic views to
the public and/or interfere with public views across already
protected open space.
3. The property is in active agricultural or forestry use.
4. The property contains high quality (prime and/or statewide
important) farm soils and/or includes or buffers other important
agricultural land.
5. The property contains or buffers wetlands, important wildlife
habitats, known wildlife migration routes or other ecologically
sensitive areas.
6. The property includes and/or borders a river, stream, pond, or
other body of water and/or development of the property will affect
the integrity of a significant watershed area, aquifer or
floodplain.
7. The property is in a relatively natural, undisturbed condition
and/or is part of an unfragmented forest and/or natural area that
extends beyond the property borders.
8. The property shares a common boundary with, or is in close
proximity to, a) publicly preserved land, b) other conservation
easement-protected property, c) other significant open space areas,
and/or d) private land which is likely to be permanently protected
in the near future.
9. The property is of sufficient size that its significant features
(as stated in the above criteria) are likely to remain intact in
spite of adjacent development
10. The easement will set an important precedent for restricting
land in an area of interest to the Conservancy.
11. Public access for outdoor education or recreation will be
permitted.
12. The protection of the property is pursuant to a clearly
delineated Federal, State, or local governmental conservation policy
and will yield a significant public benefit.
13. The protection of the property will preserve a historically
important area.
