A recent conservation easement case from New York has a lot of land trusts worried. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (the first level of appeals in the New York state court system) recently found for a landowner on a case of conservation easement interpretation: Orange County Land Trust v. Tamira Amelia Farm, 34 N.Y.S.3d 618 (2016).
Background Facts: In 2004, the Orange County Land Trust (OCLT) entered into a conservation easement with Tamira Amelia Farm. The stated purpose of the conservation easement was to was “to conserve productive agricultural and forestry lands and natural resources associated with the Property for the benefit of the public and for future generations, and also to conserve the scenic character of the Property for the benefit of the public and for future generations.” In 2005, Tamira Amelia Farm sold the burdened property to Clemente Farms. OCLT originally alleged 27 violations of the conservation easement. There seems to be no dispute that the landowner violated specific terms of the conservation easement by failing to obtain prior approval for building a barn. The landowner was supposed to bring all such activities before the land trust for its approval. Acknowledging its mistake, the landowner sought after the fact approval for the construction, but OCLT would not grant it. Additionally, the land trust challenged the building of an access road which was done both without seeking permission and allegedly with construction debris. The land trust sued in for conservation easement violations in 2010 and a bench trial followed in 2012. The trial court found in favor of the landowner and the appellate court agreed, acknowledging the misstep in procedure by the landowner but holding that it was wrong of OCLT to withhold consent for the barn construction. The court also held that the conservation easement did not require pre-approval for a road and there was insufficient evidence to show the road building material was improper.
More beyond the fold