The board voted unanimously to provide a letter of support for the project and will discuss the issue of providing financial assistance for the project at its next meeting. Present at this week's meeting was Liza Walker from the Vermont Land Trust and the Mad River Valley Conservation Partnership to explain the structure of the conservation project and the funding of the project.
TRANSFER OWNERSHIP
She explained that the Vermont Land Trust is working with Paul and Marie Hartshorn to conserve 40 acres of farmland and transfer ownership of that land to their son David who currently farms it. Paul Hartshorn, who is a member of the select board, left the meeting during the discussion, although the board did not go into executive session to talk about the project.
The Vermont Land Trust is applying for Vermont Housing and Conservation Board funds for the project, which will be used with other funds to purchase the development rights on the 40 acres, some of which is open and farmed and other portions of which have pre-existing subdivision lots permitted on them.
Paul and Marie Hartshorn own the 40 acres in question, plus other parcels of land on which there are currently five permitted building lots. Those lots were permitted in 2007 after a legal battle over whether the town could require new subdivisions to have the potential for road connectivity to other subdivisions. Paul and Marie Hartshorn also have permitted building lots on some of the 40 acres that will be conserved. Those lots were created in a circa 1998 subdivision.
APPRAISAL VALUE
The 40 acres have been appraised although the appraisal value is private. The funding formula for the project consists of approximately two-thirds of the $350,000 to $400,000 total cost of the project being funded by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and a third of it being funded by the Mad River Conservation Partnership with a donation from the Hartshorns and additional fund raising.
Walker said that the project received preliminary approval from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) in 2007 and said the application for some $300,000 in funding from will be submitted to VHCB this month. At last week's meeting before the planning commission, Walker said the local conservation partnership is hoping to bring $65,000 to $70,000 to the table in local leverage for the project. The development rights and land are being offered to the land trust at a reduced price by the Hartshorns, Walker said earlier, noting that they had reduced the price by 21 percent.
CRAFTED A PROJECT
"We're hoping we've crafted a project that the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board will go with because of the appeal and the local leverage," Walker told the select board this week.
Via letter, Walker requested $5,000 from Waitsfield towards the project. Select board member Charlie Hosford said he felt the town should make a larger contribution than $5,000. Board member Sal Spinosa suggested getting information about how the town has contributed to other projects and then deciding on a dollar amount as a contribution.
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