The 103-acre Miller Farm added to Community Preservation

Warwick — Add another 107 acres of preserved farmland to the growing list of development rights acquisitions by the Town of Warwick. The town recently purchased the development rights to the Thomas Miller farm on Jessup and Sargent roads. The purchase of the hay farm brings the total number of acres preserved through the town’s Purchase of Development Rights program to more than 2,065. “This is 2,065 acres that will never be built upon,” said Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton. The town has purchased the development rights to 13 farms and beach property in Greenwood Lake, which is now a public beach. This purchase was a partnership between the town and the federal government, which split the cost evenly. The total price of the development rights was $889,929. With almost 3,000 feet of road frontage, this working hay farm will continue to be used for farming and agricultural-related tasks, according to Sweeton. “Aside from removing these acres from the sights of developers, the real beauty of acquisitions such as this and the other 12 farms we’ve already acquired, is that these farms will remain as farms,” Sweeton said. “We will, therefore, continue to be able to enjoy the beautiful farm vistas that help make our Town the beautiful town that it is.” Voters approved a $9.5 million Purchase of Development Rights referendum in 2000. Last year, voters again said yes to a 0.75 percent transfer tax on all real estate transactions throughout the town, which went into effect April 1. The money from that tax will go into a Community Preservation Fund and will be used for future purchases of development rights to preserve open space. In addition, the town has received funding from Orange County, New York State and the federal government totaling about $7 million, all used for the purchase of development rights.