Clifton Park officials propose to pay $325K to preserve 59 acres
Friday, October 2, 2009
By
Kathy
Bowen Gazette Reporter
CLIFTON PARK — The Clifton Park Town
Board is scheduled to vote on Monday on whether to pay$325,000 to
purchase the development rights on 59 acres of land known as
Cloverdale Farm on Hubbs Road near Ballston Lake.
The move will permanently protect the parcel from development and
preserve the open space and farmland there.
Town Planner John Scavo said the owners of the land had previously
received approval for a 14-home subdivision on the land, but
withdrew the development plan in favor of selling development rights
to the town.
"They will still own the 59 acres, but if they sell, there will be a
deed restriction that the land cannot be used for anything but
agriculture," he said.
The restriction would allow construction of a farm house and other
agricultural-related buildings on up to five acres of the land, he
said.
Town Supervisor Phil Barrett said talks putting together the
easement deal had been in the works for several months.
"This is significant open space protection in an area that faces
development pressure,” Barrett said.
Sandra Baillargeon is the daughter of the late Benjamin and Helen
Heckman, who operated the farm at 92 Hubbs Rd.
She is the family’s fourth generation to own the property and it was
her decision to sell the permanent conservation easement to the
town.
The town will tap a $100,000 grant from the Saratoga County Farmland
and Open Space Protection program to pay a portion of the easement.
The remaining $225,000 will be paid from the town’s open space fund,
which was established by the Town Board in 2003.
The property, identified as a parcel worthy of protection in the
2005 Western Clifton Park Land Conservation Plan and GEIS, includes
woods, wetlands, a pond and wildlife habitat.
The farm includes an existing red barn in good condition that
preserves the rural character of the area.
Scavo said the land's proximity to the approved Rolling Meadows
subdivision means a significant amount of land is now protected in
the rural neighborhood.
"When the Rolling Meadows subdivision was approved, the developer
was required to permanently protect at least half of the land as
open space," he said.
The project was originally 80.5 acres and developer Garry Heflin
gave the town 44 of the acres to be kept forever wild.
"The Rolling Meadows open space is adjacent to Veteran's Park and
will be an extension of the park's woods and wetlands," Scavo said.
"We are protecting the biosphere of the area which could someday
have hiking trails allowing an opportunity for exploration by the
public."
The Rolling Meadows gift of land to the town takes it off the tax
rolls.
Taxes will still be collected on the Cloverdale Farm property even
though the development rights have been sold.