Financing Habitat Protection
1. Opportunities for Financing Habitat Protection | 2. Impact Fees | 3. Local Land Bonds | 4. Current Use Tax Programs | 5. Grant Sources
Local Land Bonds
Many communities have, in part as a response to the success of the Land for Maine's Future Program (LMF), elected to send local land acquisition bond referendum measures to the voters. Local funding for land acquisition demonstrates a strong local commitment to land protection that usually offers a community more opportunity to leverage private and other public funds thereby stretching the local dollar. The table below summarizes local land bond and land acquisition measures that have been successful in the past decade.
Town |
Date |
Description |
Funds Approved |
Freeport |
1996 |
Bond for specified park land |
$450,000 |
Falmouth |
1997 |
Bond for recreation and open space |
$1 million |
Scarborough |
2000 |
Bond for parks and land conservation |
$1.5 million |
Freeport |
2000 |
Bond for open space, habitat, and farmland |
$500,000 |
Falmouth |
2001 |
Bond for open space preservation |
$1.5 million |
Saco |
2002 |
Bond for parks and recreation |
$1.5 million |
Scarborough |
2003 |
Bond for natural areas and recreation |
$2.5 million |
York |
2003 |
Advisory measure for dedicated acquisition fund |
n/a |
York |
2004 |
Bond for specific open space purchase |
$200,000 |
Total |
- |
- |
$9,150,000 |
The success of a land bond effort depends on the municipality's ability to create a clear vision for conservation and open space lands within their town that is well-received and supported by its citizens. These efforts typically follow the creation of an open space plan with input gathered from public visioning sessions and that addresses the full range of open space needs including wildlife habitat, public access, recreational trails, and neighborhood green space. Bond expenditures also require well thought out guidelines identifying specifically how acquisitions will be prioritized (typically referencing priorities identified in an open space plan) and how proposed parcels are screened for consistency with program goals and objectives.
Attached below are examples of locally adopted measures including a land board charter, a referendum question to be put before voters, and a detailed acquisition evaluation methodology for parcels considered. Each town in Maine that has successfully passed a local land bond has followed a similar approach to that summarized in the example documents provided.
Example Tools
- Town of Scarborough Land Board- A Parks and Conservation Land Board that works as an Advisory Body to the Town Council.
- Town of Scarborough Acquisition Evaluation Process- The basis by which the town evaluates conservation land for acquisition.
- Land for Brunswick's Future Referendum- An example referendum question.
