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 Included in Wisconsin's new Working Lands Initiatives is a program to help land trusts and local governemnts purchase conservation easements on working lands. Wisconsin's Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) program was created with hopes that state money for farmland protection would galvanize wide spread local interest in working lands preservation. Below is a list of local programs -- some long-standing, many brand new -- making possible voluntary farmland conservation in Wisconsin.
If you know of local PDR initiatives not listed
below, or if you have questions about local purchase of development
rights programs, contact Mike Carlson at 608.251.9131 x13 or carlson
[at] gatheringwaters.org.
(alaphebetical by county)
The Town of Bayfield, Bayfield County
Town of Bayfield implemented a Purchase of Development
Rights program from 2002-2004. This community of only 625 people
chose to contribute $300,000 to a PDR program in order to ensure
the protection of their Town's unique orchard community. The program
was administered by the Town of Bayfield with day-to-day coordination
by the local land trust, the Bayfield
Regional Conservancy. Contact the Conservancy for additional information.
Town of Cottage Grove, Dane County
Cottage Grove has a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. You can read about thier program here, and read their TDR ordinance here.
The Town of Dunn, Dane County
Located just south of Madison, the Town of Dunn
created one of Wisconsin's first PDR programs in 1996. As this
map shows, the Town has worked with a wide set of partners. Currently, the program boasts about 3,000acres protected on 23 farms with several applications pending. For mor information , see
the Town of Dunn's website »
Town of Windsor, Dane County
On January 23, 2007, the Town of Windsor approved
a voluntary purchase of development rights program to protect farmland
and environmentally sensitive land by compensating landowners for
limiting future development on their land. The program will be funded
with $500,000 in direct municipal obligations of the Town of Windsor
and is being set up with the assistance of the Natural
Heritage Land Trust. Contact the land trust for additional information.
See
a pdf document outlining the Town's plan here.
Jefferson County
The Jefferson County Board voted to create a voluntary purchase of development rights program in 2007. In 2008 they approved funds for easement purchase. Jefferson County is partnering with the Natural Heritage Land Trust. For additional information, contact Land Trust Excutive Director, Jim Welsh.
See
the Jefferson County Farmland Conservation Easement Commission's website
»
City of Mequon, Ozaukee County
Mequon has a Transfer of Development Rights Program in partnership with the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust. For more information contact the Land Trust Exeuctive Director Shawn Graff.
Town of Troy, St. Croix County
Troy runs a Transer of Development Rights (TDR) program. A 2007 aricle about their TDR program is here. Questions can be directed to
Town Supervisor Dan Pearson. Contact information under the Troy heading here.
Sauk County
Sauk County has purchsed easements under The Baraboo Range Protection Program to preserve priority lands within the Baraboo Range National Natural Landmark geographic area. The BRPP will purchase development rights (PDR) from owners of forested land or buffer lands adjacent to the forested areas to prevent new development in those areas. More information on their webage.
Waukesha County
Waukesha County has a TDR program. Contact Dale Shaver, Director of Parks and Land Use; that Department webpage is here.
Waupaca County
Has esstablished a program to accept donated easements with the idea that this can evolve into a purchase of easements program as funding becomes available. Information about the program is here. You can read the ordinance here.
For more inforamation, contact UW Extension's Mike Koles michael.koles [at] ces.uwex.edu or call 715-258-6230.
Town of Springfield, Dane County
Springfield is working to set up a Transfer of Development Rights Program. Information is available on the Town of Springfield's website.
For more inforamtion, contact Jeff Endres. The Natural Hertitage Land Trust has been a consultant to the town in this process and can address questions about the status of the program, as well. Contact Executive Director Jim Welsh.
Rock County
The Board of Supervisors has voted to establish a program (see an article from the Janesville Gazette on that vote here). Any questions should be directed to Planning Chair Al Sweeny.
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