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MODEL CONSERVATION EASEMENTclick here for printable version
(Note that blanks and italics indicate textual areas that are to be tailored to
the individual property. All easements are drafted with the landowner for the
specific needs of the property. )
THIS CONSERVATION EASEMENT is granted this _____ day of ____ . 2004, by __________
(NAME), _____________________("Owner(s)"), ____________________ (address) ____________________
(city or village), Ohio ______________(zip) to TECUMSEH LAND PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION,
an Ohio, nonprofit corporation also known as the Tecumseh Land Trust (the "Land Trust"), with
a tax mailing address of P.O. Box 417, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 45387, under the following
circumstances:
A. The Property. Owner is the sole owner in fee simple of approximately
______ acres of
real property in County, Ohio which is more particularly described in Exhibit A hereto
(the "Property"), and is subject to no restrictions or encumbrances except as described in
Exhibit A.
B. Conservation values. The Property possesses agricultural, natural, scenic, open
space, and historical conservation values (collectively, the "Conservation Values") which are
of great importance to the people of the _________(city or village) of _______ , Ohio,
______ Township, ______ County, and the State of Ohio. In particular, the Property has the
following specific Conservation Values, more amply described in Exhibit B hereto:
2. Natural resource values:
3. Scenic and open space values:
4. Historical values:
C. Baseline Documentation. The Land Trust, with the assistance of Owner, has
prepared a report (the "Baseline Documentation") which shows the condition of the Property as
of the date this Easement is granted. (A copy of the Baseline Documentation is attached as
Exhibit B.)
D. Easement Purposes. By granting to the Land trust the right to preserve and protect
the Conservation Values in perpetuity, Owner intends that the Conservation Values of the
Property be preserved, maintained and enhanced in perpetuity, by permitting only those uses of
the Property which are consistent with, and prohibiting uses of the Property which are
inconsistent with, the Conservation Values (the "Easement Purposes").
E. Land Trust. The Land Trust is a publicly supported, tax exempt charitable
organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Revenue
Code") which is qualified to acquire and hold conservation easements under Section 170(h) of
the Revenue Code and Section 5301.69(B) of the Ohio Revised Code.
NOW, THEREFORE, Owner and the Land Trust agree as follows:
1. Grant of Conservation Easement: Land Trust's Rights and Duties. Owner hereby
grants and conveys to the Land Trust in perpetuity a conservation easement with respect to the
entire Property on the terms and conditions set forth herein (this "Easement"), to have and to
hold forever. The Land Trust hereby accepts the grant and conveyance of this Easement by
Owner.
The parties intend that this Easement be a "conservation easement" [and an "agricultural
easement"] under Sections 5301.67 to 5301.69LZO1 of the Ohio Revised Code.
In order to accomplish the Easement Purposes, the Land Trust shall have the right and
duty to preserve and protect the Conservation Values of the Property and to prevent any
use of the Property that is inconsistent with the Easement Purposes, except as provided in
Section 3(a).
2. Uses Inconsistent with the Easement Purposes. The Property shall not be used in any
manner that is inconsistent with the Easement Purposes. Except as expressly permitted in
Section 3(a), uses inconsistent with the Easement Purposes include:
3. Reserved Rights: Owner to Give Certain Notice.
a. Owner reserves the right to use the Property in the following ways:
i. to use the Property for agricultural purposes, using soil and water
conservation, pest management, nutrient management, wildlife conservation and
habitat protection practices then current, including the right to experiment
with ecologically promising agricultural practices not yet generally accepted
(collectively, "Permitted Agricultural/Uses");
ii. to raise animals and grow crops;
iii. to harvest trees in a sustainable manner, and cut or prune live trees
to prevent property damage or personal injury, disease or fire;
iv. to prohibit or otherwise control access to the Property by the general
public;
v. to sell or otherwise transfer the Property as Owner chooses, subject
to this Easement, and subject to the Land Trust's First Right to Purchase to
protect this Easement (A copy of the First Right to Purchase is attached hereto as
Exhibit C);
vi. with prior agreement with the Land Trust, to construct one
additional house, necessary agricultural buildings, on no more than a total of
_____ acres, restricted to locations marked on a map in Exhibit B, and subject to
then current zoning and other regulations;
vii with prior agreement with the Land Trust, to construct ponds;
viii to maintain, remodel, improve, replace, and remove existing
buildings;
ix. to use existing buildings for home-based small businesses, such
__________;
x. to construct fences necessary for Permitted Agricultural Uses, for
landscaping, and to delineate legal boundaries;
xi. to grant easements for utilities necessary to carry out the permitted
activities;
xii. to allow all or any portion of the Property to return to native
habitat, taking reasonable measures to prevent invasive and destructive species;
xiii. to use the Property in any other way that is not inconsistent with
the Easement Purposes.
b. Owner must notify the Land Trust in writing received at least 30 days before
Owner undertakes (i) any use of the Property that might have a material adverse effect
on the Conservation Values or otherwise might be inconsistent with the Easement
Purposes, or (ii) any use reserved to Owner under Section 3. a,__________.
Owner's notice must describe the proposed use in suffcient detail to permit the Land
Trust to determine on an informed basis whether the use is in compliance with the terms
of this Easement. Within 30 days after the Land Trust receives such a notice from
Owner, the Land Trust must respond to Owner in writing, stating whether the Land Trust
considers the proposed use to be in compliance with the terms of this Easement. If the
Land Trust fails to respond within that period, Owner may proceed with the use
described in Owner's notice.
4. Periodic Collaborative Review: Land Trust to Monitor the Property. In order to
promote good faith and harmonious relations between Owner and the Land Trust, Owner or
Owner's representative and representatives of the Land Trust must meet and walk the Property
together at least once each year, on a date they select at the initiative of the Land Trust, to
review the condition of the Conservation Values of the Property and compliance with this
Easement. In addition, representatives of the Land Trust may enter the Property at other
reasonable times to monitor compliance with this Easement; however, unless the Land Trust
determines that immediate entry on the Property is necessary in order to address an imminent
violation of this Easement, the Land Trust must provide Owner at least 30 days notice before
entering the Property for monitoring purposes.
5. Enforcement of this Easement. If the Land Trust believes that a violation of this
Easement that could irreversibly diminish or impair the Purposes or Conservation Values of the
Property has occurred or is threatened, the Land Trust may take immediate, appropriate legal
action, including obtaining an injunction, without notice, to stop the violation or to require
Owner to restore the Conservation Values of the Property to their condition prior to the
violation. If the Land Trust believes a minor (less than irreversible) violation has occurred or
is threatened and that it should be remedied or prohibited, the Land Trust first must inform
Owner in writing of the nature of the violation the Land Trust believes has occurred and request
Owner to take corrective action to cure or avoid the violation and/or to restore any damage to
the Conservation Values that has occured as a result of the violation. Owner must take that
corrective action within 30 days after Owner receives the Land Trust's notice and, if the
violation reasonably cannot be corrected within 30 days, Owner must continue diligently
thereafter to correct the violation until it finally is corrected. If Owner fails to correct the
violation, the Land Trust may take appropriate legal action, including obtaining an injunction,
to stop the violation or to require Owner to restore the Conservation Values of the Property to
their condition prior to the violation.
The Land Trust has the right to recover from Owner any costs incurred by the Land Trust
in enforcing this Easement, including costs of litigation and reasonable attorneys' fees.
6. Alternative Resolution of Disputes. If a dispute arises between the Land Trust and
Owner concerning the consistency of any proposed use or activity within the Purposes or
concerning the Conservation Values of this Easement, and the Owner agrees not to proceed with
the use or activity pending resolution of the dispute, either party may refer the dispute to
mediation by request made in writing to the other. Within 30 days after receipt of such a
request, the parties may agree to attempt in good faith to settle the dispute by mediation with a
mediator selected by agreement of both.
Any dispute unresolved through mediation may thereafter be submitted to binding
arbitration, in accordance with the Ohio Arbitration Act, before one arbitrator (who may, but
need not, be a mediator) selected by agreement of Owner and the Land Tnust. The decision of
such arbitrator which shall be made in writing, shall be final and binding on both Owner and the
Land Trust, and judgment on such decision may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. The
arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration among the parties on an equitable basis.
The arbitration award may be enforced in court, if necessary.
7. Responsibilities of Owner Not Affected. Except as expressly otherwise provided for
in this Easement, the grant of this Easement is not intended to impose any legal or other
responsibility on the Land Trust or otherwise to affect the obligations of Owner as owner of the
Property. Among other things, this applies to the following:
a. Taxes. Owner shall be solely responsible for the payment of all taxes and
assessments levied against the Property;
b. Upkeep. Owner shall be solely responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of
the Property:
c. Liability. If the Land Trust ever is required by a court to pay damages
resulting from personal injury or property damage that occurs on the Property or as a
result of an environmental problem affecting the Property, Owner shall indemnify,
defend and reimburse the Land Trust for those payments as well as for reasonable
attorneys fees and other expenses the Land Trust may incur in defending itself, unless
the Land Trust committed a deliberate act that is determined by the court to be the sole
cause of the injury or damage.
8. Transfer of this Easement. The Land Trust may transfer this Easement to any non-profit
organization or public entity that, at the time of transfer, is qualified under Section 1 70(h) of
the Revenue Code and is qualified under Section 5301.69(B) of the Ohio Revised Code to hold the
Easement, but only if two conditions are met: (a) at least 90 days prior to the proposed
transfer, the Land Trust holds an open, publicly advertised meeting, inviting all interested
parties to visit the Property (if that can be reasonably arranged with Owner) and comment on
the merits of the proposed transfer, and (b) the organization or public entity agrees to assume
the responsibility of the Land Trust under this Easement.
9. Transfer of the Property. Owner must notify the Land Trust in writing received at
least 60 days before any proposed transferrence of any interest in the Property to a third
party, thereby giving the Land Trust 60 days to exercise its First Right to Purchase at
appraised current use value (which is attached to this Easement as Exhibit D). The document by
which Owner transfers any interest in the Property must expressly refer to this Easement. The
parties' rights and obligations under this Easement shall be binding on, and shall inure to the
benefit of, their respective personal representatives, heirs, successors and assigns.
10. Meaning of Owner and Trust. The terms "Owner" and the "Land Trust" when
used in this Easement refer also to the personal representatives, heirs, successors and assigns
of Owner who succeed to, and at such time hold, any ownership interest in the Property and the
successors and assigns of the Land Trust. If any interest in the Property is transferred in
accordance with Section 9 above, the term "Owner" thereafter shall mean the then current
Owner of the Property, and the previous "Owner" of the Property shall have no further
liability hereunder for matters arising, or any breach of this Easement occurring, prior to the
date of transfer.
11. Amendment and Termination of this Easement. This Easement may be amended only
with the written agreement of Owner and the Land Trust, [but only if at least 90 days prior to
the proposed amendment taking effect, the Land Trust and Owner hold an open, publicly
advertised meeting, inviting all interested parties to comment on the merits of the proposed
amendment (This clause to be decided by the Board.)] Any amendment must be
consistent with the Easement Purposes and in compliance with Section 1 70(h) of the Revenue
Code and Sections 5301.67-.70 of the Ohio Revised Code.
If, at the joint request of Owner and the Land Trust, a court with jurisdiction determines
that the conditions on or surrounding the Property have changed so much that it has become
impossible to fulfill the Easement Purposes, the court may terminate this Easement. If this
Easement is terminated and the Property is sold or taken for public use, the Land Trust shall
receive a percentage of the proceeds based on the ratio of the value of this Easement on the date it
was granted to the unrestricted fair market value of the Property on that date, in accordance
with the regulations adopted under Section 170(h) of the Ohio Revised Code.
12. Recording. The Land Trust shall record this Easement in timely fashion in official
records of Clark County, Ohio, and may re-record it at any time in order to preserve its rights
under this Easement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Owner and the Land Trust have signed this instrument as of
the day and year first above written.
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ____ day of ______
200_, by ________, President, and _____________, Secretary, respectively,
of the Tecumseh Land Prservation Association, an Ohio nonprofit corporation, on behalf of
the corporation.
__________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
This Instrument prepared by:
STATE OF OHIO
COUNTY OF
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _______ day of
200_, by ________ . President, and ___________
NOTARY PUBLIC |
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Tecumseh
Land Trust of Greene and Clark Counties is a private, not-for-profit
conservation organization. Its purpose is to preserve agricultural land, open
space, and historic structures in voluntary cooperation with landowners and
their heirs, and to educate the public about methods of private land
conservation. When current Projects are complete, we will have preserved over
14,000 acres in our working area with the support of over 500 members.
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