Open Space Committee - Town of Aurora

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Open Space Committee

The Town Board created the Town of Aurora Open Space Committee in January of 2007.

The mission of the committee is to inventory, evaluate and prioritize the Town of Aurora’s open space resources and work with the community to develop and promote a plan for the protection of these resources.

The goal of the committee is to protect some 2000 acres of environmentally and aesthetically significant land in the Town of Aurora by entering into voluntary agreements with owners of that land. Passage of a bond referendum would allow the town to allocate funds to either purchase conservation easements on land, or purchase land parcels outright, both avenues serving to keep the land open and green forever.

New Open Space Plan coming soon.

Committee Members
(Appointed to a Three-Year Term)

Larry Brickman (term ends 12/31/2010)

Dale Morris (term ends 12/31/2010)

Kathryn A. Lasher (term ends 12/31/2011)

Jon Sundquist (term ends 12/31/2011)

Nancy Smith, co-chair (term ends 12/31/12)

Libby Weberg, co-chair (term ends 2009)

Noelle A. Ronan (term ends 12/31/2012)

Additional participants always welcome.

Meetings

All meetings of the Open Space Committee are open to the public. The committee usually meets the fourth Tuesday of the month, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Town Hall. Please contact the Town Clerk's Office (652-3280) or Town Supervisor's Office (652-7590) if you plan to attend, as the meeting dates are subject to change.

Progress
An Open Space Survey was completed between March and September of 2007. Some 326 surveys were completed and indicated that 86% of respondants favored protecting open space. Residents gave high priority to forests, woodlands and wildlife habitat, followed by stream corridors, wetlands, scenic views, and farmland. Using a 10-category ranking system, the committee identified parcels of open space land in the town with high natural resource value with priority for protection. Meetings with land owners have been held to answer questions about conservation easements and potential tax benefits for conservation easement donations. The Open Space Committee is working to update the existing Open Space Plan. New links will be posted soon.

Links
- Trust for Public Lands: Local Greenprinting for Growth

- Western New York Land Conservancy

- Land Trust Alliance

- Trust for Public Land

- American Farmland Trust

- American Farmland Trust Guide to Local Planning for Agriculture in New York