Duncan Announces Preservation of 2,200 acres of County farmland; Record Amount of Land to Remain as Open Space

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

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Contact: David Weaver, 240-777-6530;
Jeremy Criss, 301-590-2823

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 29, 2001

Duncan Announces Preservation
of 2,200 acres of County farmland;
Record Amount of Land to Remain as Open Space

Standing on a portion of the 217 acre Williams family farm in Poolesville, County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today announced that the County will be preserving nearly 2,200 acres of farmland, part of an aggressive effort to set aside a full one-third of County land in its Agricultural Reserve. This package of land deals represents the largest amount of acreage set aside in any year since the County began its agricultural preservation program in 1989.

"This extraordinary action affirms our position as a national leader in the preservation of farmland," said Duncan. "In fact, we are on course this year to preserve more farmland than in any year since our program began."

Nearly 1,600 acres will be preserved with $4.5 million from Maryland's Rural Legacy Program, with just over 625 acres being preserved with $2.2 million from the County's Agricultural Transfer Tax and Investment Income proceeds.

The properties are located throughout rural areas of the County from the Potomac watershed in the western part of the County to the Patuxent watershed in the east, and range in size from just over 130 acres to more than 535 acres. On Tuesday, the Council will consider Duncan's Supplemental Appropriation request to finalize the purchase.

Joining the Executive for the announcement were members of the Williams family, County Council member Phil Andrews, Robert Paulsen, Chairman of the County Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board and William Hussmann, Chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board.

"I'm delighted the County Executive has closed the deal on more Rural Legacy properties," said Council President Blair Ewing. "Preserving open spaces in the County for our children and our children's children is among the Council's priorities."

Now in its fourth year, Maryland's Rural Legacy Program provides funding to local jurisdictions to protect "large, contiguous tracts of land rich in natural and cultural resources from sprawl development." The program allows farmers and landowners to sell or donate the development rights, yet retain ownership and continue growing crops or raising livestock.

In addition to the $4.5 million in State funds being used to preserve the land announced today, the County also has received an additional $4 million under the Rural Legacy Program to preserve nearly one thousand additional acres of farmland. Just last week, the County Executive submitted a request for another $5 million Rural Legacy Grant application to preserve 951 more acres.

"We have identified and are aggressively pursuing the preservation of more land than we have money for, right now," Duncan noted. "Our message to the state is that if you approve it, we'll preserve it."

Montgomery County, which totals 316,800 acres in size, has protected over 50,000 acres of agricultural land in its 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve. Throughout the entire County, there are more than 50,000 acres of parkland.

Under the state's program, local governments identify Rural Legacy Areas and apply to the state for funding to either complement existing land preservation efforts or create new ones.

Local jurisdictions must apply each year to the Rural Legacy Board to participate and receive funding. Once approved, counties must negotiate with individual landowners complex real estate transactions that can take several months to complete.

Finalized transactions are reviewed by the Department of Natural Resources, and the Rural Legacy Advisory Committee and Board, which, in turn, recommend to the governor and Board of Public Works approval of the land transactions.

For more information about Maryland's Rural Legacy Program, log on to www.dnr.state.md.us.

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