Re: [Paddlewise] Conservation easements (was: Saturation)

The following is a conversation Kirk Olsen and I had over email.  After
about 5 messages, we thought,"this is too good not to share".
Shawn

I wrote [Still on Paddlewise]:
Perhaps an organization could be set up to purchase private land as it
comes up for sale, subdivide off the near-beach portion, and sell the
remaining land to another private landowner, with the understanding that
the foreshore area is to be accessible to the public, but they're
permitted (as public citizens) to utilize it too.

Kirk Olsen wrote:
> This is a great idea.  Does anyone know of any groups doing this?
 
I said:
My wife works for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.  They handle a lot
of conservation-type projects.  They solicit donations and hold
fundraisers and when big game and non-game habitat-type property comes
up for sale, they'll either purchase it and donate it to an appropriate
state agency, or they'll purchase a conservation easement on the
property and then allow the property to be sold to another private
owner.  I just applied similar logic to our waterfront needs.  Hmmm...

Kirk Olsen wrote:
> I liked the idea of buying waterfront property taking the beach and
> reselling the rest.  That could potentially result in getting almost as
> much money for the house as the original purchase price, it's still
> waterfront it just abuts conservation land...

I gesticulated:
Talking assumption, general, ballpark, non-scientific figures...
If you bought a million-dollar parcel, cut off the beach portion, turn
around and sell off the developed portion for $950,000-- a $50,000 beach
seems like a bargain.

Kirk said:
> It definitely does.  Especially since if the parcel is already developed
> you have no real use for the majority of the parcel.

I said:
I'd think a full conservation easement with an access easement would be
more "sellable" to potential sponsors.  Instead of: "Of course, you can
have public access, across my developed beachside parking lot!".  The
conservation land, as you mention, would also help surrounding property
values.

Something like this would be easy to sell to a huge variety of corporate
sponsors--bait & tackle shops and manufacturers, boat dealers, beer
distributors (Bud is a major corporate sponsor of the RMEF-- mega tax
writeoff!), and it would benefit kayakers, sailers, clammers, crabbers,
fishermen, you name it.  Of course, selling to a wider audience would
inevitably invite some "rif-raff" loudly arguing and drinking beer at
2:00am in the campsite next to you, but it's still better than having no
beach to go to in the first place.

Kirk said: 
> Around here it's almost all day trippers.
> 
> Some sections of the coast have large amount of public access, most of
> the upper section of cape cod is national seashore, but most of the
> area between boston and maine is private.  Some sections annoyingly private,
> local tax payer only parking on the town roads from 9 am to 6 pm.
>
> Like everyone I initially see my backyard first, but I love the idea of
> just buying the waterfront for public access.  Be it owned by the town or
> conservation groups.
>
> I would actually prefer a "public access to the water" conservation group.
>
> kirk
-- 
                      0
                ____©/______ 
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\  ,/      /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
                   0
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************