North East cuts good deal on open space

Editorial Poughkeepsie Journal February 21, 2006

You can say this about the Town of North East: It just made the most out of $10,000. The town has agreed to help save a viable, working farm, chipping in what amounts to very little of the $1.7 million needed to buy the development rights of the 220-acre property and keep it as open space. Otherwise, there was a chance Pleasant View Farm could have been sold to developers and gone the way of another sprawling subdivision.

The town should consider itself lucky. The valley will continue to grow — and must grow, both for its economic health and out of the basic necessity for people to find housing. But protecting some of the valley's farms along the way must be a part of the equation. And municipalities are going to take a more-active role in this effort.

The town's contribution is coming from some of the money it received last year through an unanticipated mortgage tax reimbursement. The state is kicking in about $1.3 million, with the rest coming from the Dutchess County Farmland and Open Space Protection fund. These partnerships are vital, but the towns must become more than token players.

In this regard, Beekman and Red Hook have set themselves apart from other Dutchess towns. Residents of these two towns have approved multimillion bonds that provide their town boards with the financial means to save key parcels. Red Hook has secured conservation easements with two farms already; Beekman is pursuing both state and county grants to help it protect the 300-acre McIntosh Farm off Frog Hollow Road from development.

"Seed" money is critical to open space programs. More and more, state and federal officials want to see a commitment on the local level before providing funds for these endeavors. Municipalities will start losing out if they don't figure out ways to be part of the solution.

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