New City, NY– The Clarkstown Town Board has unanimously approved a resolution asking the New York State Legislature to enact what officials are calling the Clarkstown Community Preservation Act, a proposed law that would authorize the town to create a local preservation fund and a Purchase of Development Rights, or PDR, program.
If the state approves the measure, Clarkstown would be able to establish the Clarkstown Community Preservation Fund, which town officials say could be used to conserve and protect open space, farmland, water sources, natural resources, historic landmarks and other community assets.
According to the town, the legislative request follows calls from residents for stronger protections for open space and natural resources. The Town Board also said it acted after receiving unified support for the proposal from the Clarkstown Greenway Commission.
A Community Preservation Fund is a financing tool that can allow local governments to raise money dedicated to land conservation and related preservation efforts. In this case, Clarkstown officials say the fund could support a PDR program, which generally allows governments to compensate landowners for development rights while preserving the land from future development.
Town officials described the program as one of the strongest tools currently available to local governments seeking to preserve environmentally sensitive land, farmland, water resources and historic sites. They also pointed to similar efforts elsewhere in the Hudson Valley and surrounding region.
According to the press release, Orangetown received state authorization during the last legislative session to launch its own community preservation program. The release also says that Warwick in Orange County and Red Hook in Dutchess County have used similar programs for decades. In addition, municipalities in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Ulster counties have received countywide authorization from state representatives to establish Community Preservation Fund programs.
The proposal for Clarkstown would not take effect immediately, even if it is approved in Albany. Officials described the process as a multistep effort requiring both state and local action.
First, the New York State Assembly and Senate would need to pass the legislation, and the governor would need to sign it into law. After that, the program would still need approval from Clarkstown voters through a public referendum.
Only if both steps are completed would the town be able to formally establish the preservation fund.
Clarkstown officials estimate that, if approved by voters, the program could generate more than $5 million annually in new funding. Under the proposal described in the press release, that money would be restricted for preservation-related purposes, including protecting open space, farmland, water sources, natural resources and historic landmarks.
Supporters of the measure argue that a dedicated funding source would give the town more flexibility to respond to development pressure and preserve land before it is lost to other uses. They also frame the proposal as a long-term planning tool that could help shape growth while protecting resources that residents view as central to Clarkstown’s character.
At this stage, however, the proposal remains a request for state action, not an enacted local program. The Town Board’s resolution signals support for the concept and begins the process of seeking enabling legislation from Albany, but several additional approvals would still be required before any preservation fund could be put into operation.
The measure comes as many suburban and semi-rural communities across the region continue to weigh development, housing demand and environmental protection. For Clarkstown, the proposed act would give residents an opportunity, through a future referendum, to decide whether they want a dedicated local funding stream for land and resource preservation.
For now, the next step is in the hands of state lawmakers. If the legislation advances, Clarkstown voters would ultimately decide whether the preservation fund should become a permanent part of the town’s land-use and conservation strategy.
