Dover accepts donation of conservation easement on Spruce Lane Extension

posted on: 4/29/2019

The Dover Open Lands Committee announced that the City of Dover has accepted the generous donation of a conservation easement on four acres of land owned by Dorothy Chorlian of Spruce Lane Extension. The property abuts a city owned 24-acre conservation property that has frontage on the Bellamy River. This conservation easement provides an additional access point to enable the public to walk to the larger City property.

Chorlian decided to conserve the property to honor the memory of her mother-in-law Anna Chorlian and her husband Jonathan.

“I decided to buy and conserve the field beside my house to keep it from being developed," Chorlian said. "I decided that the cost of the property and legal work would come back to me in the long run. My taxes on this land decreased substantially, and the charitable donation of the development rights to the City of Dover will be used to offset my federal income taxes over the next several years. I own the land and can use it for agriculture, as the City and I agreed. I hope to encourage other Dover residents to consider putting their land into conservation status. I did it for the love of nature and to maintain the beautiful rural character of my neighborhood.”

Anna Boudreau, Chair of the Open Lands Committee stated, "We are thankful for Dorothy’s foresight to conserve this property and for adding to the growing mosaic of conserved property in the neighborhood.”

This conservation easement is a legal agreement between the landowner and the Dover Conservation Commission that permanently limits certain types of development and uses on the property by granting the development rights to the City. Conservation easements are voluntary and flexible and can be structured to preserve all or just a part of property. Conserved properties retain their landowner rights and can still be gifted or sold, but they cannot be developed or mined.

The Dover Open Lands Committee consists of local volunteers and city staff who work with willing landowners to conserve Dover’s important natural and cultural resources. These resources include drinking water supplies, farm and forest lands, critical fish and wildlife habitat, and the preservation of our community's character for current and future generations to enjoy.

For more information about the OLC, please call the Planning Department at 516-6008 or e-mail Steve Bird at s.bird@dover.nh.gov.