Land deals are worth pursuing
Poughkeepsie Journal January 18, 2006

Two Dutchess County towns and the City of Beacon want to use different methods to achieve the same critical goal — protecting key parcels of open space in their jurisdictions.
The three communities — Beekman, Fishkill and Beacon — will definitely benefit if these transactions go through.
Beekman in particular has well-positioned itself to be a leader in open space protection; this November, residents overwhelmingly supported a $3 million bond that will be used to buy parcels outright or place conservation easements on them. Under easement programs, farmers and other landowners sell the development rights to their property. This helps to keep some land as active, working farms, providing a balance to the growing number of residential developments throughout Dutchess County.
Beekman is pursuing both state and county grants to protect the 300-acre McIntosh Farm off Frog Hollow Road from development. Depending on how these applications go, the town may not have to dip into its own open space fund, although that certainly remains an option. Beekman and Red Hook are the only two Dutchess County towns that have had the foresight to set up funds to give them more control over their own destiny in these important transactions.
Meanwhile, Fishkill has set its sights on a Girl Scout camp, proposing to buy the 17-acre property west of Route 9D for $420,000. The town would preserve it as parkland, but some Girl Scout activities would continue there. The town would use money from development fees that go into its recreational fund.
While saving acres of open space conjures up images of country living, sometimes cities have to pursue these matters as well. In Beacon, city officials want to borrow as much as $1 million to purchase and preserve undeveloped land. While the city hasn't officially designated the parcels it intends to save, residents have raised strenuous objections to a proposed residential development on the Hiddenbrooke property near the Hudson Highlands. The city hasn't ruled out trying to buy some of the land or obtaining a conservation easement on it.
While their financial strategies are different, these three local governments are homing in on important parcels that should be preserved if the owners are in agreement.

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