Purchase of Development Rights Conservation Easements are the ONLY - - PDF document

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Conservation Easements are the ONLY way to preserve land forever

Eric Keller Farm

Purchase of Development Rights

• Zoning
• Comprehensive Planning
• Permanent vs. Temporary decisions

PDR’s – Do they affect land use decisions?

• Preservation of “view sheds”

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Preservation of view sheds. . . . . .what are they worth?

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Will there be enough interest?

Adams County’s 10,000 Acre Celebration May 19, 2002

20 40 60 80 100 120 Rnd 1 1990 Rnd 2 1990 Rnd 3 1991 Rnd 4 1993 Rnd 5 1998 Rnd 6 2001

Applications Received by Round

Adams County Agricultural Land Preservation Program

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12,187 Acres Preserved (County program) Preserved Lands of Adams County 1,338 Acres Preserved (Land Trust) 13,000 Acres of Outstanding Applications

Why would landowners want to preserve their land?

• Financial Incentive

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What is an easement worth?

Fair Market Value $ 10,000 / Acre Farmland Value - $ 6,000 / Acre Easement Value $ 4,000 / Acre Pennsylvania Easement Values Range from $600 to $15,000 / Acre Adams County Easement Values Range from $1,025 to $ 11,400 / Acre

Adams County Values

Fair Market Value Ranges from $2,149 to $12,920 Agricultural Value Ranges from $960 to $2,000 / Acre Easement Value Ranges from $1,025 to $ 11,400 / Acre Easement Value actually paid Ranges from $1.00 to $2,637