Saving Special Places: Community Funding for Land Conservation
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Saving Special Places: Community Funding for Land Conservation Brian Hart Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and Dorothy Tripp Taylor Center for Land Conservation Assistance December, 2002 Saving Special Places: Community Funding for Land Conservation Brian Hart Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and Dorothy Tripp Taylor Center for Land Conservation Assistance December, 2002 Saving Special Places: Community Funding for Land Conservation is published by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) and the Center for Land Conservation Assistance, hosted by the Society. Printed copies of the guidebook are available by sending a check for $15.00 payable to SPNHF to: Anne McCullough, SPNHF, 54 Portsmouth St., Concord, NH 03301. The guidebook is also avail- able on our website, www.spnhf.org. Copyright by Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 2002. CENTER FOR LAND CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE hosted by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests Debbie K Graphics, design Evans Printing, printing Cover: Stratham Town Meeting (photo by Rich Beauchesne, Seacoast Newspapers) Printed on recycled paper. Post consumer: 20% Saving Special Places: Community Funding for Land Conservation Page iii Contents List of Case Studies....................................................................................................v Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................vi Chapter I. Introduction and Overview ......................................................................1 Chapter II. Making the Case for Conservation Funding in Your Community...................................................................5 Community Environmental Benefits...............................................................................................5 Local and Regional Benefits of Open Space Plans ...........................................................................8 Economic Benefits of Retaining Open Space..................................................................................11 Understanding Conservation Easements .......................................................................................19 Caring for Land You Protect.........................................................................................................20 Chapter III. Local Funding Methods........................................................................23 Forms of Town Government and Implications for Land Conservation Funding ..............................................................................................................23 Authorizing the Purchase of Land or Property ..............................................................................26 Authorizing Acquisition of Specific Property at Annual Town Meeting ...................................26 Calling a Special Town Meeting to Spend Previously Appropriated Funds ..............................27 Securing Superior Court Approval for Special Town Meeting ................................................29 Acquiring Land through the Conservation Fund ....................................................................31 Delegating Authority to Governing Body ..............................................................................32 Ways to Hold Funds for Conservation ..........................................................................................33 Conservation Fund ..............................................................................................................33 Capital Reserve and Trust Funds ..........................................................................................35 Municipally-Funded Capital Reserve Trust Funds ..........................................................35 Privately Funded Municipal Trust Funds ......................................................................36 Capital Improvement and Open Space Acquisition Plans...............................................37 Sources of Municipal Funding for Conservation ............................................................................38 Land Use Change Tax..........................................................................................................38 Warrant Article Appropriation..............................................................................................41 Bonds.................................................................................................................................43 Town Fund Balance.............................................................................................................50 Proceeds from Managing Town Property...............................................................................52 Tax Deeded Properties.........................................................................................................54 Exchange of Real Estate.......................................................................................................55 Matching Fund Sources ...............................................................................................................57 Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) ................................................58 Water Supply Land Conservation Grant Program ..................................................................59 Forest Legacy Program ........................................................................................................60 Farmland Protection Program...............................................................................................61 Land and Water Conservation Fund .....................................................................................63 Using Multiple Matching Sources .........................................................................................64 Cooperating with Private Land Trusts...........................................................................................67 Private Foundations.....................................................................................................................68 Page iv Saving Special Places: Community Funding for Land Conservation Chapter IV. Getting It Done: Grassroots Organizing.................................................71 How to Initiate a Land Conservation Conversation in Your Community..........................................71 Tapping Into Existing Town Committees...............................................................................72 Creating a Special Task Force...............................................................................................74 By Petition..........................................................................................................................76 Grassroots Campaign Techniques.................................................................................................78 Introduction........................................................................................................................78 Identify Your Goals..............................................................................................................78 Identify Supporters and Opponents ......................................................................................79 Develop a Campaign Timeline .............................................................................................79 Crafting your Message.........................................................................................................80 Reaching and Motivating the Voter.......................................................................................80 The Media ..........................................................................................................................83 Get out the Vote..................................................................................................................85 Grassroots Campaign Checklist ............................................................................................88 Chapter V. Where to Find Help ...............................................................................89 Professional Contacts ..................................................................................................................89 Community Contacts (from Case Studies) ...................................................................................101 Publications...............................................................................................................................103 Chapter VI. Useful Information .............................................................................107 Municipal Land Use Change Tax Allocation Data (by town).........................................................107 Results of 2002 Town Meeting Votes on Articles for Land Conservation Funding (by town) .............................................................................................110 Worksheets for Detailed Cost Comparison (comparing cost of development with cost of conservation) .....................................................................................................................112 Sample Materials .......................................................................................................................114 Public Presentations...........................................................................................................114