Town of Clinton Open Space Protection Plan
Open space is generally defined as land not intensively developed for residential, commercial, industrial or institutional uses. It includes forest and farm lands, scenic areas, historic places, public parks and preserves and waterbodies. At the local level, open space is ultimately defined by the community itself. In the process of crafting this plan, the following definition of open space was developed based upon a definition provided in New York State General Municipal Law § 2472 :
The Town of Clinton defines open space as any space or area characterized by natural scenic beauty or, whose existing openness, natural condition, or present state of use (including working and historic landscapes), if retained, would enhance the present or potential value of abutting or surrounding development, or would maintain or enhance the conservation of natural, agricultural, cultural, or scenic resources.
Open space plays a critical role in the quality and character of the community. In addition to providing habitat areas and a variety of other ecological functions (such as filtration for water quality or absorption of flood waters), open space provides economic, social and cultural benefits. For example, many areas offer eco-tourism destinations such as camping, birdwatching or hiking. In some places, like Dutchess County with its relatively easy access to the New York City metropolitan area, agri-tourism is a major factor in the economy. Socially, open space provides people with places to picnic, swim or enjoy a beautiful sunset. Culturally, open space is often associated with historic sites, such as historic farms, churches, and mill sites.
The importance a community places on open space is expressed through the planning process. In this process, the value of open space is captured in a community survey and then translated into goals and objectives. These goals and objectives form the basis for recommendations in an open space plan or other planning document. The plan serves as the foundation for designing and implementing land use controls and/or programs which will effectively protect the value open space was assigned by the community. Furthermore, in doing an open space plan, a community is also in many ways formulating a plan which identifies areas suitable for development. These complementary actions should result in tools and programs which ultimately implement the community's broader vision of its future.
The Benefits of Open Space
Open space provides environmental, economic and social benefits to the community. Wetlands and floodplains are critical components of watersheds which filter water before it makes its way to receiving areas including streams and aquifers. This naturally occurring filtration comes at no cost to the taxpayer making it not only an environmental benefit but an economical one was well. Forested areas remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and are considered an effective mitigation measure against global warming. Forests are essential for healthy watershed functioning; they capture rainfall and replenish and cleanse water supply. Healthy and intact habitats and ecosystems provide important biological and ecological services. These habitat areas sustain many species and contribute to biological diversity, which is in turn essential for the health and well being of human communities. The connection of healthy natural systems to human health occurs in many ways, from the provision of clean water and clean air to the production of food and fiber.
A landscape that is biologically diverse is more resilient to changes, and this stability helps to ensure that ecological services and benefits will continue into the future. Many of these benefits also have economic value to the town, especially within the watershed context. As stated in “Economic Benefits of Open Space Preservation” by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller, 2010, “Decision-making that explicitly considers and values the positive economic effects of open space, as well as environmental and quality-of-life implications, will best serve a community’s long-term interests.” Some of these economic benefits, noted in the report, include the control of stormwater runoff, flood control and storage, erosion control, preservation of surface water quality and stream flows, and groundwater recharge.
A common misperception is that open space protection translates into a loss of revenues for municipalities. While replacement of farming or forestry land with residential, commercial or industrial uses can produce an increase of gross revenues, that increase can be more than offset by an increase in the demand for services. Studies have shown that open space demands fewer municipal services than lands in other use. Consequently, open space tends to generate greater municipal tax revenue than the value of services required by these lands. In comparison, lands in residential use typically consume services of greater value than the property tax revenues they generate.
Economically, natural resources add value to a community in terms of related eco-tourism, agritourism and travel industries. It is estimated that New York State parks and historic sites alone generate $500 million in sales to local business and contribute $20 million in tax revenues. In 2008, four million visitors came to Dutchess County and spent $490 million, generating $31 million in sales tax for the county in tourism related dollars. Additionally, it is estimated that timber harvesting produces $230 million per year to landowners, both public and private.
While not necessarily quantifiable, the social benefits of open space are numerous. From the peaceful enjoyment of a hike in a scenic area to the opportunities to connect with our past, the social aspects are often the ones which endear the memories of a special place or community to the people who live, work or visit. Open space adds to the perceived quality of a community and is frequently referenced as desirable trait in community surveys. This combination of environmental, economic and social benefits makes a compelling argument for the preservation of natural, scenic, historic and agricultural resources in communities like the Town of Clinton. Clinton, as you will see in the remaining chapters of this document, contains a wealth of resources deemed worthy of consideration for preservation or conservation.
The Planning Process
In 2007, the town secured $10,000 from the New York State Hudson River Valley Greenway for an open space plan. Additionally, the town secured $25,000 from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for a farmland protection plan. With the availability of funding, the town appointed an Open Space and Farmland Protection Committee, which began working on the plan in April 2007. The Committee prepared two documents; this Open Space Protection Plan (OSP) and a Farmland Protection Plan (FPP) which was adopted by the Clinton Town Board on December 14, 2010.
The goals of the Open Space and Farmland Protection Committee were to:
Encourage conservation
Preserve and protect open space and farmland
Enable and encourage farming
Propose guidelines and alternatives for future development
In addition to working on the Open Space Protection Plan and the Farmland Protection Plan, the town is also in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan.
Community Values and Survey Results
As part of the Comprehensive Planning process, a survey of Clinton residents was conducted and information from that survey has informed the Open Space and Farmland Protection Committee. It is clear from the survey that Clinton's greatest assets are its natural beauty and rural atmosphere with more than 97% of the respondents reporting favorably. In addition, 95% of the respondents felt the hamlet areas are important to the character of Clinton. There was strong support (93%+) for regulations to protect prime agricultural soils, steep slopes, wildlife, wetlands, and water resources. There was slightly less, but still significant support (89%) for controlling logging. To accommodate future growth, respondents were in favor (94%) of arranging homes in a way which maintains rural character and 92% wanted to avoid strip development. Ninety-four percent of the respondents also supported the concept of the developer preserving open space in large projects. More than three-quarters of the respondents (77%) supported conservation easements to protect land. Refer to Chapter 1 of the Town of Clinton Comprehensive Plan for complete survey results.
Vision Statement
A vision statement is a long term view that defines the desired or intended future state of the community. The vision statement serves as a guide for evaluating goals, objectives and strategies which will achieve this long term view. The Town of Clinton's vision statement for this Open Space Protection Plan is:
The Town of Clinton desires to maintain its rural character consisting of natural landscapes, native ecosystems, working farms, hamlet-scale development and historic structures to preserve its scenic quality, promote our small town atmosphere and protect our quality of life.
The Open Space and Farmland Protection Committee believes this statement reflects the values of Clinton's residents as expressed both formally and informally through the Community Value Survey conducted as part of the Comprehensive Plan update process and the numerous public farm and open space tours which occurred throughout this planning process.
