Preserving the land
Warwick. The Town Board has entered into an agreement to acquire the former Kutz Camp for $6.5 million under the Community Preservation Plan; town will create a citizens panel to develop ideas for the property.
| 27 Jan 2020 | 05:20
The now decades-old effort to preserve the essence and beauty that defines the Town of Warwick continues:
The town has entered into a contract to purchase about 85 acres of land and the buildings of the former Kutz Camp on Bowen Road for $6.5 million.
According to Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, the town learned in early fall that the Union for Reformed Judaism Board, recognizing that this summer retreat model no longer fit their strategic plans, made a decision to sell the facility.
In mid-December, Sweeton said he reached out to the URJ board to learn the status, at which time the property was being prepared for commercial listing for sale.
The Town Board subsequently authorized Sweeton to discuss a purchase by the town.
Sweeton said the property is listed as one of the parcels in the Community Preservation Plan that satisfies the plan goals of “protecting Warwick’s rural quality and its natural environment especially in sensitive environmental areas, protecting ground water sources and providing for recreational opportunities throughout the town.”
The property acres consists of a lake, two pools, tennis courts, outdoor and indoor event/art spaces, multiple cabins, a central waste water system, multiple wells and a trail system. It lies between the preserved Purchase Development Rights (PDR) Weiss Farm and the Orange County Land Trust's Fuller Mountain preserve.
Sweeton said the town will immediately create a citizens committee to develop ideas for the best use of this property.
The Community Preservation Fund
The fund will work to:
Maintain the green belts that surround our villages and hamlets. These green belts make an essential contribution to the character of our local communities.
Save our natural beauty. The fund will allow us to identify parcels that contribute most significantly to the rural character of Warwick, and negotiate with the property owners to preserve them for all time.
Hold down school taxes. Each new household adds to the tax burden of existing taxpayers in the three Warwick School Districts.
Protect our water. An important goal of the Fund will be the protection of properties essential to our aquifer. It will also reduce problems that result from the increased paving of undeveloped land.
Protect our infrastructure. Reduced development will ease growth pressures on our schools, roads and other government services.
Reduce the loss of farms. Participating farmers receive a large portion of the market value (the development value) of their land while continuing to farm. Estate taxes are reduced, helping farmers pass the land on to their children.
Hold down municipal taxes. Operating farms in Warwick receive an average of 43¢ in municipal services for each dollar of taxes they pay. In contrast, residential subdivisions require $1.08 in services for each tax dollar they generate.
Preserve our wildlife. The preservation of large tracts of land maintains the separation between wildlife and humans. This is important for the safety of both populations.
Enhance property values. Limiting new housing, while ensuring the preservation of our rural character, will help enhance the value of existing homes.
How the CPF works
When a house or land is sold in Warwick, the buyer pays a small fee, generally less than the amount charged for title fees in a mortgage’s closing costs. The seller pays nothing.
This fee is added to a dedicated escrow fund that can only be used for projects identified in the Community Preservation Plan to preserve the community character of Warwick.
The CPF fee:
The first $100,000 of a residential sale price is exempt from the buyer’s fee.
The first $50,000 is exempt on land sales.
The buyer’s fee is 0.75 percent on the remainder of the sale price.
Source: The Warwick Smart Growth Alliance (www.warwicksga.org)
Purchase Development Rights
In 2000, the town approved a $9.5 million bond issue to pay for this proposed land conservation. An additional $5.5 million was pledged from county, state and federal partners, as well as from private foundations and donations.
In 2005, to help pay off the bond and to expand the program, the town was granted enabling legislation by NY State that allowed the town to impose a real estate buyer’s transfer fee of 0.75%, with receipts from the fee dedicated to land conservation.
Since inception of the plan, and augmented by income from the transfer fee, Warwick has now protected more than 3,200 acres and holds the development rights (conservation agreements that prohibit development) more than 32 farms.
Public hearing
The Warwick Town Board will hold a public hearing to consider the purchase of 85+/- acres located at 45 Bowen Road (SBL# 63-2-8) on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m., at the Town Hall, 132 Kings Highway, Warwick.
Purchase Development Rights
In 2000, the town approved a $9.5 million bond issue to pay for this proposed land conservation. An additional $5.5 million was pledged from county, state and federal partners, as well as from private foundations and donations.
In 2005, to help pay off the bond and to expand the program, the town was granted enabling legislation by NY State that allowed the town to impose a real estate buyer’s transfer fee of 0.75%, with receipts from the fee dedicated to land conservation.
Since inception of the plan, and augmented by income from the transfer fee, Warwick has now protected more than 3,200 acres and holds the development rights (conservation agreements that prohibit development) more than 32 farms.