Conservation Easements: A Step by Step Guide

Transcription

1 Land & Water Cnservatin Prgram Cnservatin Easements: A Step by Step Guide PRELIMINARY STEPS: Step 1: Landwner expresses interest in land cnservatin. Step 2: Discuss the land with the landwner and cnduct a preliminary bservatin f it (such as walking the prperty with the landwner). MEETING WITH THE LANDOWNER: Step 3: Cllect preliminary infrmatin abut the parcel frm tax maps, twn tax recrds, tpgraphic maps, wetland maps, aerial phts, etc. if the prject appears viable Step 4: Investigate the prperty in mre detail thrugh fllw-up visits and research: Ask the landwner fr cpies f any maps, deeds r ther infrmatin n the prperty. Yu will need a cpy f the current deed. Identify bundaries (map & mark if necessary). Phtgraph crner markers, stne walls that are bundaries and ther landmarks that dcument the bundaries. Label the phts and reference them t a map. Inspect the land fr ptential hazardus waste sites and request infrmatin n any recrds f such frm NHDES (Waste Mgt. Div), Select Bard & Fire Chief. Determine if there s an interest in excluding part f the parcel frm the easement (e.g., existing r future huse site) Nte the cnditin f frest, wetlands, rads, trails, etc. Review the deed t the prperty. Determine whether the land cntains any special features that might be referenced in the easement deed, including: A general inventry f natural features, using existing lcal infrmatin as available as well as infrmatin cllected n site.. Knwn ccurrences f rare species r natural cmmunities n the prperty. Surce: NH Natural Heritage Inventry.* Wetlands fficially designated as prime. Surce: municipal cnservatin cmmissin r NH DES, Wetlands Bureau.* Deer wintering areas r ther critical wildlife habitats. Surce: NH Fish & Game Dept.* Histric sites. Surce: NH Div. Of Histric Resurces* Archaelgical sites. Surce: NH State Archaelgist s Office.* Whether the land verlays a significant stratified drift aquifer. Surce: US Gelgical Survey r NHDES fr aquifer maps r use the land trust s natural resurce inventry maps. Whether the land is in a watershed f a public water supply. Surce: Municipality 1

2 Whether the land is n a designated scenic rad. The relatinship f the prperty t nearby prtected lands, special features, etc. * Nte: The infrmatin surces nted abve will need a map shwing the lcatin and parcel cnfiguratin Step 5: Explain cnservatin ptins fully and bjectively, as applicable t the prject. It may help t prvide printed materials frm the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) r ther surces (see Where t get help, belw) and determine the landwner s chice (the decisin may cme later). Step 6: Talk with the landwner further and ask: Why they are interested in land cnservatin. What they have in mind fr cnservatin restrictins. Hw they describe the land, its histry and its imprtance t them, the cmmunity and the regin. The histry f the prperty - use and wnership. Is there a frest r farm management plan? If s, btain a cpy. Hw much they knw abut land cnservatin ptins and techniques. Wh else (e.g., family members) may have an interest in what they're planning and what cmmunicatin has taken place amng them? Whether they intend t reserve any rights in the easement such the ability t remve ne r mre huse lts at a future time? Whether there is a mrtgage r any liens n the prperty. Whether there is a survey f the prperty (if s, get a cpy). Assess ptential prblems carefully. Step 7: Prvide infrmatin t the landwner: Land trust and/r cnservatin cmmissin infrmatin (land trust brchure, lcal land cnservatin plan, etc.) What yu and yur grup will d t help them reach their land cnservatin gals and what yu are nt able t d (e.g., legal r tax advice r financial assistance). Resurces that are available (such as a cpy f the bk Cnserving Yur Land (available frm the Frest Sciety at $5 per cpy). Cnservatin ptins in additin t easements (review again). A sample cnservatin easement deed. Federal and lcal tax implicatins fr the landwner (LTA Standards & Practices Guidebk has infrmatin sheets n the IRS aspects yu can phtcpy) The expected time frame t cmplete the prject. Csts that will be incurred (easement, legal, survey, title search. etc) and wh will pay. Invite the landwner t cntribute t csts that might therwise be cvered by the land trust, especially an easement mnitring endwment cntributin. Recmmend that the landwner have his r her wn attrney and/r financial advisr advise him r her abut the legal and tax issues assciated with cnservatin easements. Send a fllw-up letter describing the agreement, expectatins, csts, time frame, etc. 2

3 ONCE THERE IS AGREEMENT TO PROCEED WITH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT: Nte: If a municipal cnservatin cmmissin is t receive the easement, the apprval f the lcal gverning bdy (Select Bard r Twn r City Cuncil) is required by state law. Step 8: Determine if it is apprpriate t have a secnd land trust hld an executry (backup) interest in the easement and secure their apprval. Step 9: If applicable, prceed with getting a subrdinatin f the mrtgage frm the mrtgage hlder. Step 10: Have a cnservatin easement deed drafted based n the decisins made with the landwner. This can be dne by an attrney, land cnservatin cnsultant r a lcal, reginal r statewide land trust. Expect t revise this initial draft at least nce after review by the land trust and the landwner. Fr this, yu will need t prvide: Full name(s) and address(es) f the Grantr(s) Lcatin f prperty (street r rad name) A descriptin f: structures r imprvements in the easement area rare r unusual species r unique habitats histric features mrtgages r liens n the prperty special restrictins reserved rights any ther unique features f this prperty r circumstances f the landwner. Cpies f: current municipal master plan language that supprts the cnservatin f this type f prperty. the land trust s statement f purpse and cnservatin plan. map/survey f prperty current deed r deed reference (bk & page # in the Registry) The amunt f acreage t be placed under easement Determine whether the easement will allw public access. Step 11: If the land trust r cnservatin cmmissin has accepted the respnsibility, cntract fr a survey if necessary (nce gegraphic limits f the easement are decided with the landwner). Sme type f prperty descriptin, preferably a survey, will be referenced in the easement deed. Step 12: Have a title examinatin perfrmed. Have the results reviewed by the land trust s attrney. Step 13: Refine the first draft f the easement deed and survey after review by all parties. Repeat as needed. Step 14: Cmpile baseline dcumentatin fr the easement prperty. It wuld ideally include: Legal Infrmatin. Cpies f the deeds fr the prperty Cpies f any mrtgages, liens, r encumbrances and releases, if applicable Title histry and abstract Maps Lcus map (shws lcatin f the prperty within a larger gegraphic area) 3

4 Survey Tpgraphical map shwing lcatin and apprximate bundaries f prperty Tax map Frest type map, if available List f abutters (may be n survey r tax map) Phtgraphs (ptinal but recmmended) On-site phts keyed t a map Aerial phts, if apprpriate Natural resurce infrmatin (this may vary depending n the prperty) Descriptins f wildlife habitats r wildlife knwn t use the prperty Rare, threatened r endangered species; unique natural cmmunities, if knwn Frest resurces assessment Scenic features Gelgy and sils Agricultural resurces Histric r archaelgical resurces Wetlands and water resurces; aquifers Human-made features Lcatin and descriptin f any imprvements in the easement area, including structures, trails, fences, wells, utility lines, rads Land management and histry Current frest r agricultural management plans Descriptin f land use histry (farming, grazing, mining) and past disturbances (strms, fire) Municipal data (referenced in easement deed) Master plan sectins that supprt cnservatin f this type f land Special designatins, such as scenic rad Hazardus waste assessment Other Lcatin f ther prtected lands in area Owner cnfirmatin f the baseline dcumentatin Step 15: Have the easement deed signed by all applicable parties (requires ntarizatin) Step 16: Register the easement deed as well as any accmpanying maps at the cunty Registry f Deeds. There is a fee fr this. Step 17: Prvide the landwner with a cpy f the registered easement deed and any related dcumentatin. Step 18: Recgnize the cmpletin f the prject and the landwner s cnservatin actins thrugh a news release, newsletter article, etc. Send a thank-yu nte. Remind the landwner that yu ll be mnitring the terms f the easement regularly (preferably annually). Step 19: Sign and cpy any IRS paperwrk related t a pssible tax deductin the landwner will claim. Step 20: Mnitr the land annually t cnfirm that the easement restrictins are cmplied with. Meet with the landwner and give her r him a cpy f the cmpleted mnitring reprt. Step 21: Enfrce any easement vilatins if necessary. 4

5 WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Several peple t share the wrk These guidelines and ther infrmatin surces Printed infrmatin fr landwners Surces f infrmatin fr natural resurces inventry Access t maps, aerial phts, etc. Funding Supprt frm the cmmunity & its elected fficials if the prject is a municipal ne Easement expertise Legal review Deed research Mapping skills A reasnable amunt f time (such as a year) Publicity (ptinal) Twn master plan (t reference language in supprt f cnservatin) Surveyr (may nt be necessary in all cases) Camera WHERE TO GET HELP: Lcal, reginal and statewide land trusts Publicatins f the Land Trust Alliance (natinal nn-prfit umbrella rganizatin f land trusts: 1331 H St NW, Suite 400, Washingtn, DC phne ; fax UNH Cperative Extensin, fr help with natural resurce inventries and land cnservatin planning, Land & Water Cnservatin Prgram Amanda Stne, Crdinatr UNH Cperative Extensin 220 Nesmith Hall 131 Main St. Durham, NH amanda.stne@unh.edu Phne: fr a list f NH land trusts and map shwing their gegraphic cverage r a list f land cnservatin-related publicatins:: Sharn.Hughes@unh.edu r Twn cunsel (attrney) fr cnservatin cmmissins NH Assciatin f Cnservatin Cmmissins at r fr a cpy f their Cnservatin Cmmissin Handbk. UNH Cperative Extensin Land & Water Cnservatin Prgram Prepared by: Frank Mitchell and Phil Auger, February 2001 Revised: Amanda Stne, March