WHO ARE WE?

We are a citizens not-for-profit organization, committed to the preservation of environmentally and ecologically sensitive land, culturally and historically significant sites and structures and sustainable development attuned to town character, infrastructure aesthetics and environment requirements.

HOW DID WE BEGIN?

We began as a small group of citizens disturbed about the direction of residential and commercial development and its effect on town character and open space. In 1999/2000, together with Martin Brech and Joe DuBovy, we initiated a campaign to educate the public and raise the awareness of town and county officials to the urgency of maintaining open space. We recommended that the county set aside a dedicated bond fund of $10 million to provide seed money for purchase and maintenance of open space. Although garnering over 900 signatures for a referendum, the proposal was defeated in the county legislature, with 3 legislators voting for it - Legislator Oliverio, McGuigan and Tamagna.

The impending sale of the 246-acre Tilly Foster Thoroughbred Farm in early 2001, and its development as a possible golf course with hundreds of townhouses littering its slopes, brought new urgency to the need to preserve open space. "Save Tilly Foster Horse Farm" sprinkled the county from east to west and galvanized the residents who called and wrote by the hundreds. Their action recently brought to a close the permanent conservation of Tilly Foster, along with another 250+ acres, bordering it and the Middle Branch Reservoir.

Capping this achievement, the campaign brought the whole issue of open space, the issue of development to the forefront of political discourse. Everyone of the candidates for public office now embraces open space preservation as a central to his/her platform.

WHAT ELSE HAVE WE DONE?

• Facilitated assistance from Riverkeeper and Croton Watershed Clean Water Committee and encouraged residents surrounding the Meadows at Deans Corners to take action against a proposed development of 100 homes. With Riverkeeper, Croton Watershed Clean Water Committee, we entered into legal action, contesting Planning Board implementation of SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review) procedures.
• Contested Town of Carmel effort to re-write zoning code, specifically for a developer, giving new interpretation to the concept of "open space" in a cluster development, called "The Fairways" adjacent to Centennial Golf Course, off Fair Street.
• Supported residents fight against the location of a Self-Storage Facility on the banks of the Middle Branch Reservoir. For over a year, as Chair of the Coalition, I had written to Town Board officials, recommending alternative zoning for the Route 6 area and warning of the consequences of the maintenance of an ED1 zone that would permit such facilities and warehouses.
• Wrote to, attended meetings and spoke before Town Board and Planning Board concerning the zoning code for Route 312 and opposed the proposed Campus at Fields Corners mixed residential and office park development off Pugsley Road, abutting Tilly Foster.
• Advised and supported residents of Putnam Valley opposing a sprawling development of senior housing, retail, office parks, straddling Bryant Pond exit off the Taconic Highway, impacting residential communities, Bryant Bond and the watershed.

• Neither the county nor the towns of Putnam County have official "Open Space" Committees nor dedicated funding, aside from the East of Hudson (EOH) monies, expended by the county for Tilly Foster and proposed for the Mahopac Airport properties. We currently have an active Carmel Vote Open Space Committee in the Town of Carmel and have an infomercial on RCN, Channel 8 and we have the beginnings of a committee in the Town of Southeast. Our goal: Follow the pattern set by Westchester County and the 12 towns whose residents in huge majorities voted for dedicated bond funds for the preservation of open space.
• Terravest International Corporate Park - a development that will require all of our ingenuity. AND THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN, THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHEAST, CARMEL, PATTERSON.

WHAT IS OPEN SPACE?

Open Space can be defined as land that is largely free of residential and commercial development. It contributes significantly to the town and county's unique rural character and varied landscape and our sense of place. In Putnam County, it is often difficult for the average person to know which open spaces are preserved and which have been targeted for development.

ARE PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE?

Protecting our natural assets should not be viewed as anti-development but as part of healthy, quality communities. Development needs to be planned. That means we need to establish the framework for directing and encouraging development that is consistent with the maintenance of the rural character of Putnam County. Residential and commercial sprawl undermines the character of our county and seriously compromises our quality of life.

WILL OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION REMOVE PROPERTY FROM THE TAX ROLLS AND RESULT IN HIGHER TAXES?

Open Space preservation may actually serve to restrain future Town and school tax increases. Open Space preservation puts land in nature's bank: land that would otherwise be used to develop new housing thus increasing school enrollment and traffic. Higher taxes would be needed to provide additional services and infrastructure i.e. roads. The costs far out-weighs the revenue the Town would collect from the new homeowners. As the Journal News March 4, 2001, article stated "school taxes comprise 70 to 80% of a homeowner;'s tax bill, depending on the municipality." Therefore, a Putnam County resident owning a house worth $250,000 pays from about $4,200 to $5,000 in school taxes alone, the remainder ranging from $1,100 to $1,500 are county and town taxes.

HOW IS OPEN SPACE A POSITIVE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TOWNS AND COUNTY?

Even in cases where a property is taken off the tax rolls, preservation represents a net gain over development. Properties adjacent to, or nearby Open Space increase in value and, therefore, incur higher taxes without raising town service costs. After a period of time, this additional income can even offset the revenue lost through Open Space acquisition. For example, conservation subdivisions which include Open Space by design, appreciate 12.7% faster than subdivisions without Open Space.

Additionally, ecotourism produces over $478 billion dollars and is the largest industry worldwide. Protection and preservation of Open Space will spur the development of this industry in Putnam County. More and more families are taking advantage of the possibilities provided by passive recreation i.e. bike trails, nature trails, hiking and camping. Open Space will give substance to the county's motto: PUTNAM COUNTY WHERE THE COUNTRY BEGINS

HOW DOES THE LOSS OF OPEN SPACE DOES IMPACT TRAFFIC?

Anyone who drives on Route 6/52 and Route 312 knows the answer to this one!

ISN'T THERE ENOUGH OPEN SPACE IN PUTNAM COUNTY?

From Final Report - Land Use and Land Cover - Mapping in Putnam County, New York - 1968-1991, Prepared by Cornell Laboratory for Environmental Application of Remote Sensing (CLEARS), March, 1993:

Major land use changes in the 23-year period occurred in: Commercial/urban +121.3% Residential + 87.2% Agricultural - 54.3%

Undeveloped land is not Open Space. The scenic views we enjoy today are largely unprotected and could be developed tomorrow. Open Space protects environmentally sensitive, farms and historical or cultural sites land outside the New York City Memorandum of Agreement. These sites are listed for you on the attached page. Open Spaces also contributes to the quality of life in areas such as passive recreation, neighborhood parks, sports fields and nature education. Additionally, Open Spaces preserves the biodiversity of our county, essential in efforts to maintain quantity and quality of water; land rich in plants, wildlife and valuable wetlands that filter water. Future generations will judge your environmental awareness by your support of this initiative.

WITH LAND BEING SO EXPENSIVE, HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE ANYTHING MEANINGFUL?

For this reason the coalition has advocated a county-wide bond fund of up to $10 million which will give our elected officials the means to protect and preserve limited natural areas. The earmarked fund will be supplementary to funds obtained by matching grants from a variety of land acquisition organizations i.e. Open Space Institute and Land Trusts or money from gifts and grants. Often such organizations are more willing to contribute if their contributions are leveraged by local money. The proceeds could be applied in a variety of acquisition strategies. In lieu of outright land purchases, acquisitions can be effectuated through the purchase of development rights, conservation easements or options. These techniques have been used successfully by other communities to save Open Space at lower cost. We wish to thank The New Castle Open Space Committee for the summary of options for Open Space preservation which are listed APPENDIX 1.

HOW WILL THE OPEN SPACE FUND BE ESTABLISHED?

The money will be placed in a reserve fund for land preservation administered by the county.

ISN'T HOME RULE VIOLATED BY THIS METHOD?

Although the bond fund will be county-wide, each of the six towns comprising Putnam County will have three representatives knowledgeable about Open Space issues and techniques, selected by the Town Supervisors and Town Boards to an Open Space Advisory Committee. Employing strict criteria, this committee will be responsible for inventorying available parcels and recommending those to be preserved.

CAN'T TOWNS STILL MAINTAIN HOME RULE AND PURCHASE OPEN SPACE?

This is the plan that County Executive Robert Bondi has put forward and some supervisors have suggested. In effect, the county would contribute 50% of the sum required, matching the 50% contributed by the towns. It may not require a referendum and individual towns would then select the parcels.

HOW CAN AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER SET ASIDE SOME LAND FOR NATURE?

Refer to the section in APPENDIX 1 on "VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF LAND OR CAPITAL" - "Significant tax incentives may be obtained by either giving or selling land or donating a conservation easement."

Sincere thanks and appreciation to New Castle Advisory Committee on Open Space; Yorktown Open Space Coalition, Scenic Hudson and Ms. Michelle Powers - Putnam County Planning Department for the materials in this leaflet.