Water Mill, NY
Danilevsky Farmland
- Project Type
- Farms for the Future
- Acreage
- 33
- Address
Head of Pond Rd
Water Mill NY, 11976
About
In the Spring of 2014, the Peconic Land Trust went into contract to purchase two farmland parcels, a total of 33 acres, from the Estate of Charlotte Danilevsky contingent upon the simultaneous purchase of the development rights by Southampton Town at closing. Without the Town's involvement, we would have lost these irreplaceable, productive soils forever!
- Parcel 1: 13.9 acres at the end of Uncle Leo’s Lane (off Noyac Path) in Water Mill. This parcel is adjacent to 68 acres of protected farmland that is currently farmed. In November 2016, the Peconic Land Trust announced the resale of Parcel 1 to Jim and Jennifer Pike of Pike Farms.
- Parcel 2: 19.2 acres off of Head of Pond Road, just southwest of Scuttlehole Road in Water Mill. This parcel is adjacent to 34 acres of protected farmland currently in equestrian use and 60 acres of protected farmland that is out of production. In January 2015, the Peconic Land Trust announced the resale of Parcel 2 to 3rd Generation farmer Hank Kraszewski, III.
With the Town's purchase of the development rights, there are also additional restrictions (collectively referred to as Affirmative & Affordable Farming Covenants and Resale Restrictions) that preclude equestrian uses and the production of horticultural specialties that result in the removal of soil from the property. The Town's easement document also requires that 80% of the farmland be used for the production of food and that future sales of the property be restricted to qualified farmers at its true agricultural value. The Trust currently holds similar restrictions on about 60 acres of farmland in Sagaponack.
This transaction is the first time that a municipality in New York State incorporated similar restrictions in its purchase of development rights, a milestone for Southampton Town.
We are very pleased to have worked with the Town and the Land Trust on the purchase of the Uncle Leo's Lane parcel. It is sad for us to see preserved farmland used for anything other than "real" agriculture and we hope that this tool helps keep land available to future farmers.
Jim Pike, Pike Farms