T HE A THENS L AND T RUST N EWSLETTER W INTER 2007 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 T HE B IG P ICTURE—PERSISTENCE P AYS! ALT has been busy with several long-term projects; despite delays and challenges, we doubled the number of permanently affordable housing properties and began our first affordable rental development. When complete, ALT will hold conservation easements protecting 515 acres, more than doubling the previous acreage of 211. L ANGDALE F IRST ACC F OURTH S TREET V ILLAGE F ARM P ROTECTED M OVES F ORWARD Recently we partnered to protect On January 10, ALT and Ambling Development 63 acres of important farmland Partners, our new partner, received financing near Winterville. The Langdale from PNC Multifamily Capital, a division of Farm easement purchase was made Pittsburgh National Bank. Construction on the possible through a cooperative site had been halted since March 2006 when effort between the Farm and Ranch ALT’s former partner had to withdraw from the Lands Protection Program (FRPP) project. Construction will resume in the next of the Natural Resource few weeks and should be completed by Conservation Service, the ACC December 31, 2007. SPLOST Greenspace Acquisition continued on page 4 Program, the farm owner Mrs. George Langdale, and the Athens W ELLS F ARGO Land Trust. The purchase of the G RANT A WARDED Langdale easement is the first In August 2006, Wells Fargo allocation of SPLOST Greenspace Foundation, on behalf of Acquisition funds and is also the first use of FRPP Wells Fargo Home Mortgage funds for a farm in Athens-Clarke. of Atlanta, donated $10,000 continued on page 3 for the rehabilitation of two historic houses for affordable G RANT homeownership. The mission P ROTECTS of Wells Fargo Foundation is O CONEE F ARM to provide resources to non- On December 1, the profit organizations to meet very first Georgia the homeownership need of Land Conservation low-to-moderate-income Program (GLCP) people. The grant will be used grants were for the rehab work on 861 and announced by 865 Waddell, dubbed Governor Sonny "Mustard" and "Ketchup" for their paint Perdue. The colors. Over the past year, ALT staff has been highest-ranking working with the State Historic Preservation recipient was an Office to ensure that the work we do application prepared jointly by ALT and the Oconee enhances the historic character of the homes. We are Partnership for Farmland Protection on behalf of also planning to do an environmentally friendly rehab Oconee County. The $467,000 grant will be used to including energy-efficient appliances, no-V.O.C. paints, protect 190 acres of the Sam Mitchell Farm by means and cellulose insulation. The funds from Wells Fargo of a conservation easement to be held by ALT. will greatly help us in the rehabilitation of these homes. continued on page 2 Thank you, Wells Fargo Foundation! WWW. ATHENSLANDTRUST. ORG 2 T HE ATHENS L AND T RUST N EWSLETTER W INTER 2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS B OARD &STAFF N EWS President: Jonathan Biron e are excited by the recent influx of co-author of a manual published by the Vice President: Wnew people and ideas to the ALT. Georgia Forestry Commission and Trees Lara Mathes Atlanta titled Greenspace: Evaluating, O LD & NEW P RESIDENTS Secretary: Restoring and Managing Natural Areas Gregg Bayard In February 2006, Jonathan Biron in the Atlanta Vicinity. joined our Board and was voted in as Treasurer: Board President this June. We are Angela Johnson joined the board at our Neal Anderson delighted to have Jonathan at the helm, December 2006 board meeting. Angela filling the void left by the departure of and her husband Frankie purchased their Brenda Crawford home at 125 Stanelle from ALT last Beth Gavrilles Nanette Nelson last winter to Wyoming. A goodbye party for Nanette, who served October. Frankie works at Power Latitia Franklin Partners and Angela is a manager of the Angela Johnson since August 2003, was held at Laurie Chick-Fil-A in Beechwood. They are the Barbara Sims Fowler & Tim Johnson’s house. Nanette Alfie Vick served as President with great energy and parents of two boys—SáKeem & Jeremiah, commitment and we truly appreciate the 10 and 8. (See story on page four and STAFF countless hours she dedicated to ALT. picture on page ten). HOUSING F AREWELL S ARAH Heather Benham Jonathan brings much relevant experience to the post of President. In “everyday life,” We will miss Sarah Gaines Barmeyer CONSERVATION he works part-time in private practice as a whose tenure as Board member and John Kissane design architect and consultant. He also Conservation Committee member was of Laura Hall serves on the board of Athens Grow Green great value to ALT. Sarah moved to DEVELOPMENT Coalition and on the Athens-Clarke Savannah in July 2006, with spouse Nancy Stangle County Planning Commission. Wilson, who was also a valued volunteer ADMINISTRATION and supporter of ALT. Sarah will continue Lizzie Zucker Saltz N EW V ICE P RESIDENT her work with the Georgia Wildlife Lara Mathes also joined the ALT Board Federation and the Georgia Water NEWSLETTER EDIT/LAYOUT last February. She was voted in as Vice- Coalition in Savannah. Heather Benham President in July 2006. Lara is an urban Lizzie Zucker Saltz planner for Athens-Clarke County. While a L AURA R ETURNS TO ALT Nancy Stangle student in the University of Virginia’s ALT is pleased to have Laura Hall Master of Urban and Environmental returning to ALT as Conservation staff. LEGAL COUNSEL Planning program, Lara worked with non- Laura is a licensed Landscape Architect. Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan profit organizations in Charlottesville, She worked with ALT as a volunteer and Virginia on open space preservation, staff member for several years before community development, and alternative taking time off to stay at home with her STAFF E-MAILS transportation issues. Having returned to young children. [email protected] Athens three years ago, she has been [email protected] FARM GRANT CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 involved in the review of ongoing [email protected] development, long-range planning and, Earlier in the year, ALT was successful in [email protected] currently, neighborhood planning. its application for $610,000 in grant funds from the USDA’s Farm and Ranch Lands CONTACT INFO N EW B OARD M EMBERS Protection Program. This amount will be 2109 W. Broad Street In September, Alfie Vick was elected to combined with $75,000 committed by Athens, GA 30606-3545 our board. Alfie is a licensed Landscape Oconee County to total 75% of the 706.613.0122 / 613.0143 fax Architect and a LEED Accredited conservation easement value; the www.athenslandtrust.org Professional. Alfie is a Vice President with remaining 25% will be a donation from Ecos Environmental Design and an Mr. Mitchell. The property is a cattle farm composed of a mixture of open pasture OUR MISSION Assistant Professor at UGA where he has The mission of the Athens Land been involved with courses in landscape land and wooded areas located northeast Trust is to promote quality of life ecology, sustainable landscape design and of Farmington, in south Oconee County. —John Kissane through integration of community native plant communities. He is also the and the natural environment by preserving land, creating energy- efficient and affordable housing, Cover Photo Credits: Top: Mrs. Langdale speaks at and revitalizing neighborhoods. October 26 dedication ceremony. Right: George Wright, PLEASE DO A QUICK Housing Committee member, works on IKEA cabinets MEMBER LABEL CHECK at 130 Andrea Drive (photos by Heather Benham). If the date above your name label indicates that your membership Bottom Left: Mitchell Farm in Oconee County (photo by has expired, please renew using the form on the back page. Mary Ann McQuinn of the NRCS). W INTER 2007 T HE ATHENS L AND T RUST N EWSLETTER 3 C ONSERVATION N EWS N EW L ANDOWNER T AX I NCENTIVES If you have considered preserving your property for future generations to enjoy, now’s the time to do it! In 2006, both the U.S. and Georgia governments expanded the economic benefits for donors of conservation easements. A new law raises the deduction a donor can take for donating a conservation easement from 30% to 50% of their adjusted gross income. It also extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take these tax deductions from 5 to 15 years. In addition, the new law allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income. Currently, these benefits are in effect until the end of 2007. Here’s a hypothetical example: At the October 26th dedication of the Langdale Farm: From left to Frank owns 75 acres in Oconee County that has right: Jonathan Biron, Balfour Hunnicutt, Eugenia Langdale, ACC appreciated in value a great deal. By donating a Mayor Heidi Davison & James Tillman, State Conservationist of conservation easement during 2007, his total NRCS were among the 85 attendees income tax savings could be as much as $97,620, Photo by Mary Ann McQuinn of the NRCS or $8,135 annually over 12 years. Frank has an adjusted gross income of $100,000 and wishes to protect his land, reserving two future house LANGDALE FARM CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 sites but otherwise prohibiting development on The Langdale property was determined to be a good the property. An appraiser uses current zoning candidate for protection because of the percentage and development potential to determine the fair of prime farmland and its key location in an area of market value of the land with and without an farmland that is experiencing increasing easement.