Preserving Warwick

Town acquires development rights to 101-acre Sly Farm Warwick — The town now has nearly 1,000 acres of preserved land with last month’s acquisition of the Sly farm. The 101-acre farm is owned by the Lewis family - Mary Hope, Joan and Elizabeth. Their parents bought the farm from the Sly family in mid 20th-century. This is the eighth purchase the town has made since passing a town-wide Purchase of Development Rights law in 2000, which allowed the town to buy the development rights to properties in an effort to maintain open space. Voters approved $9.5 million of town funds to buy open space. Local, state and federal agencies have worked with the town in other PDR transactions. This purchase, which cost the town $780,000, was strictly from town funds, according to Supervisor Michael Sweeton. The Sly farm land ranges from rolling hills to flat ground. It has productive hay fields as well as forested hillsides. A running stream traverses the property, which also contains wetlands that serve as animal habitats. This property abuts the Davis woodlands, another town-owned property. Several other farms are in the process of preservation, including the Brown and Brady properties, bringing the total acreage up to 2,300. Seymour Gordon, chairman of the town’s agricultural board, said “We’re most appreciative of the cooperation of the Lewis families for their decision to sell their development rights to the town.”