County Articles

Ballston Spa, NY – On Tuesday, October 20th, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution awarding Farmland/Open Space Preservation Program grants to local municipalities. A sum of $750,000 will be divided among 4 municipalities: the Towns of Clifton Park, Northumberland and Saratoga, and the City of Saratoga Springs. All of these grants are contingent upon the municipalities, landowners or New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets providing a match for part or all of the award amount. Grant applications were reviewed by the Saratoga County Farmland/Open Space Preservation Committee, chaired by Supervisor Willard Peck (Northumberland). Peck said “This year’s grant review included a total of nine very strong applications. Of these, six were for farmland protection and three for open space preservation. I am pleased to be able to once again chair the committee awarding these important grants.”

        In 2003, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors appropriated $1 million over three years to create the Saratoga County Farmland/Open Space Preservation program. This new funding was established to assist local municipalities with farmland protection and open space preservation projects across Saratoga County and with meeting the matching component of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program. Eligible applicants are municipalities and not-for-profit land trusts such as Saratoga PLAN and the Open Space Institute. In 2008, the Board increased this funding to $750,000 and this level was maintained in 2009. In that time, the program has helped to protect approximately 2,400 acres of both farmland and open space, and has helped to leverage $2 million from the PDR program for 1,000 of those acres.

        Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Arthur J. Johnson said “Saratoga County’s land preservation program is an important part of the County’s Green Infrastructure Plan and it is crucial that while the County continues to grow in gray infrastructure, we pay close attention to maintaining our green – providing open spaces and beautiful viewsheds for generations to come.”

       

       Summary of 2009 Saratoga County Farmland/Open Space Preservation Program Grants

Farmland Protection

       Town of Northumberland - Purintondale Farm: The Town of Northumberland was awarded $300,000 for the purchase of development rights for approximately 70 acres of farmland along Purinton Road. The Puriontondale Farm has been a working landscape since mid-1850s and sits on the highest point in the town, affording beautiful views of the Hudson River and Vermont. The farm has been dairy production since the 1960s and this parcel is used for pasture and hay for the Dutch Belted Galloway Cows located on the farm. An additional 200 acres is rented from neighboring landowners. The grant amount is contingent upon the landowner contributing no less than $50,000.  

        

       Town of Saratoga - Hoogeveen Farm: The Town of Saratoga was awarded $350,000 for the purchase of development rights of approximately 405 acres of the Hoogeveen Farm - viable and active agricultural land and barns along County Routes 70 & 71. The Hoogeveens have applied to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and will be receiving $2,052,255 from the State to help to protect the farm. The County will be helping to meet the local 25% match by providing $350,000 towards the purchase of development rights. The grant amount is contingent upon the state contribution.



Open Space Acquisition

       Town of Clifton Park - Carrese Forest: The Town of Clifton Park was awarded $70,000 to purchase a 78-acre mixture of field, woodlands and wetlands along New York State Rt. 146A. This parcel connects to the existing 138-acre Veteran’s Memorial Park. The purchase of this property is an important piece of the town’s open space corridor that is coming together in the western part of town as called for in the Western Clifton Park Generic Environmental Impact Statement. The grant amount is contingent upon the town contributing no less than $190,370.

        

       City of Saratoga Springs - Kayaderosseras Blueway Trailhead and Preserve: The City of Saratoga Springs was awarded $30,000 to purchase 5 acres of land located along the Kayaderosseras Creek. Dubbed as the Saratoga Springs Kayaderosseras Blueway Trailhead and Preserve, this parcel will provide public access to the Kayaderosseras Creek and will help to protect the water quality by preserving wetland buffers. This project is consistent with the Saratoga County Green Infrastructure Plan through its preservation of special places and important resources. The grant amount is contingent upon the city contributing no less than $30,000.