Saratoga County is the fasted growing county in New York State .  While some of the growth if fueled by suburban development in the southern portion of the county, much of it is a result of the popularity of the City of Saratoga Springs with its vibrant downtown and historic neighborhoods.  As the City develops and housing prices escalate, people are looking to the surrounding towns to live in a rural environment surrounded by open spaces.

Situated in the south central portion of the Town of Greenfield five miles from downtown Saratoga Springs, the proposed conservation subdivision is bordered on one side by one of the Town’s few working farms (the Arnold Farm) and, on the other side, a former sheep farm with an active conservation easement held by Saratoga P.L.A. N. known as the Carver Farm. In addition to these two properties, there are two other properties in the vicinity with active conservation easements held by Saratoga P.L.A.N.  Creating an easement on this property begins to form a critical mass of protected properties surrounding the City of Saratoga Springs .

Partnering with Saratoga P.L.A.N. and setting aside land into an agricultural conservation easement allowed the Project Sponsor to achieve very important goals for the project including:

• Reestablishing the working farm

   

• Retaining the historic and rural setting of the Kremp Farm

   

• Preserving the scenic vistas along
  Wing Road

   

• Preserving environmental features on the site such as woodlands, the natural spring, and wetlands

   

• Providing open space for wildlife corridors and recreational trails (i.e., footpaths) that connect to adjacent properties and the broader region where possible

   

• Providing energy efficient, or ‘green’, housing

   

• Creating a ‘model’ conservation subdivision illustrating the potential to develop land in a manner that preserves large areas of open space for a variety of activities.

   

Barbara L. Glaser, President of Linell Lands, Project Sponsor

Elan Planning & Design, Project Planners

Jere E. Tatich, Landscape Architecture, PLLC, Project Designer

Torkelson & Associates, Building/Site Interface Consultant

Muse Architect & Planner, Architecture

Saratoga P.L.A.N., Agricultural Conservation Easement Holder

Snyder, Kiley, Toohey, Corbett & Cox LLP, Easement Attorney

Lansing Engineering, P.C., Civil Engineering

Copeland Environmental, Wetland Delineation

And Others.

The project has received planning approvals from the Town of Greenfield and there is a farmer actively working the land.  In total, over 45 acres, or approximately 47%, of the land has been placed in an easement to preserve open space and allow farming activities.  All of the project goals have been met and Saratoga P.L.A.N. is forming a critical mass of properties immediately adjacent to the City of Saratoga Springs , one of New York State ’s fastest growing communities. 

While 45 acres is not one of Saratoga P.L.A.N.’s largest land holdings, it is establishing a format to preserve smaller parcels of land for specialized farming activities.  Over the last decade agricultural in Saratoga County, NY has changed from large format farming to small farms serving local markets.  The farmland that resulted from this Conservation Subdivision is serving in this capacity.