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2011 Calcutta
Party Benefit For The
Manor Conservancy
Thanks to everyone
for making our event
successful!
We look forward to
seeing you next year!
The Sergeant Murphy
Cup>>
Easement Funding
Do you want to protect
your land from development
and preserve it for
future generations?
The Manor Conservancy
may have funding available
for those landowners
who are not in a position
to donate a conservation
easement. Please see
our Application for
Easement Sale on the
Links page of the
website. After submitting
an application, you
will be notified whether
your property qualifies
for funds.
Federal Tax
Benefits
Federal legislation
enacted in 2006 now
allows landowners who
donate a qualified conservation
easement to take advantage
of benefits including:
Increase in the maximum
deduction to 50% of
adjusted gross income,
compared to 30% in previous
years.
Qualifying farmers are
now able to deduct 100%
of adjusted gross income
The carry-forward period
for a donor to take
deductions has been
extended from 5 years
to 15 years, allowing
more value for donations.
This law has been extended
through December 31,
2009, with no guarantee
that Congress will extend
these benefits again.
Anyone interested in
a conservation easement
should contact The Manor
Conservancy or other
local land trust to
protect your land and
take advantage of these
benefits.
For most recent information
concerning the status
of tax benefits, call
us at 410-659-1315.
Conservation Easement
DVD Available
“Conservation
Easements: The Nuts
and Bolts” is an informative
video which provides
an overview of definitions,
process and options
related to land conservation
easements. The duration
of the presentation
is 1 hour 6 minutes
and is available on
loan for no charge from
The Manor Conservancy.
Should a group or individual
wish to retain the DVD,
it may be purchased
for $5.
Visit our our
Contact page to
order by phone, mail
or email.
Rural Roads Standards
And Updates
The
Baltimore County government
is currently studying
possible standards for
rural roads. The
Department of Public
Works, the Planning
Board, and community
representatives have
been grappling with
Federal guidelines,
traffic and safety issues,
urban sprawl factors,
and the intrinsic aesthetic
value of rural landscapes.
White Hall farmer
Wayne McGinnis chairs
the Planning Board subcommittee
charged with looking
at needs and proposed
standards for rural
roads. This difficult
charge includes road
widening easements,
specifications for bridges,
lighting, sight distances,
farming and agricultural
needs and circumstances,
and preservation of
scenic routes, to name
a few. One school of
thought is to design
roads for speed and
efficiency - straightening
and widening. These
planners believe that
the county needs thoroughfares
through the country
to assist residents
of Pennsylvania and
eastern Harford County
to have a quick route
to jobs in Hunt Valley
and Owings Mills.
However such an approach,
according to experts
advocating the preservation
of rural areas, will
simply encourage more
traffic going faster.
The other school theorizes
that retention of the
narrow and curving roads
and narrow bridges will
have built in speed
controls which will
discourage unsafe speeds
and an increase in traffic.
The countryside should
not be compromised
for the convenience
of non-resident commuters.
We are hoping that Mr.
McGinnis's committee
will recommend the latter
approach.
The outcome of these
deliberations will directly
affect the scenic and
historic landscapes
of northern Baltimore
County. It will
be a factor in the continuing
effort to limit urban
sprawl and traffic.
We may call on our members
to write to Mr. McGinnis
with support for retention
of the rural character
of the roads. We will
keep you posted.
UPDATE:
On May 15, 2008,
The Planning Board passed
Baltimore County's first
set of rural road design
standards. The guidelines
contain compromises
regarding Public Works
standards which were
felt to be unnecessary
and detrimental to rural
traffic and preservation.
Although not ideal,
community groups see
some issues were addressed,
including a public notification
process for input on
projects, reduction
of standard right of
ways, and encouragement
of minimum width sizes
for roads and bridges.
UPDATE:
On April 14,
2009, a workshop
will be held at Hereford
High School between
6:30 and 8:30 PM to
discuss anticipated
bridge replacement projects,
resurfacing schedules,
road construction plans
and traffic issues.
This meeting is a follow-up
to last year's Rural
Roads Standards, a citizen-government
effort, approved by
County Council, which
codified standards and
policies for road and
bridge maintenance in
rural areas. The Department
of Public Works, as
part of its agreement
with community groups,
plans top hold such
meetings annually.
Volunteers For Monitoring
As an ongoing obligation
of the holder of conservation
easements, the Conservancy
is responsible for monitoring
properties to determine
compliance with the
original conservation
values of the deed.
Prior notice of the
landowner is required.
Typically uses allowing
agricultural, horticultural
and forestry activities
are permitted and rights
of the landowner to
maintain, repair and
replace existing homes,
barns and other structures
are included.
The primary goal of
easements is to limit
or prohibit further
residential, commercial
or industrial development
and protect property
in its current state
while not interfering
with the landowner's
current use of the property.
Volunteers are provided
training in the monitoring
process. Often
easements are held jointly
by the Conservancy and
the Maryland Environmental
Trust, which also provides
support and guidance.
During site visits,
volunteers compare basic
information about the
property with what is
happening at the time
of their visit.
Photographs are taken
and notes made for the
record to document current
land uses and the original
conservation values
and stewardship of the
easement donors.
Volunteers contact landowners
in advance to arrange
for a mutually convenient
time for the visit.
Landowners are asked
for their comments on
the monitoring process
required to preserve
and safeguard easement
properties.
If you are interested
in participating in
this monitoring activity,
please let us know at
info@themanorconservancy.org
It is an opportunity
to meet and speak with
others committed to
land and resource conservation
and landowners who are
participating in our
preservation efforts.
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