The proposed legislation would add Sullivan County to those counties already included in the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act. Passed in 2007, the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act gives Ulster, Westchester, and Putnam County municipalities the power to choose for themselves whether or not to raise local revenue through a real estate transfer fee (that must be approved by local referendum) for the purpose of preserving natural and historic resources.
This measure would give the residents of towns within Sullivan County, if they choose to do so, the same options for preserving farmland and open space as enjoyed by Ulster County, Westchester County, six East End towns in Long Island’s Suffolk County, the Town of Warwick in Orange County, and the Town of Red Hook in Dutchess County.
State funding for preservation of open space is insufficient, and local options for raising funds are limited to grants, private donations, bonding and appropriation of general municipal funds. This bill expands funding streams available to municipalities within Sullivan County while leaving the decision of whether or not to do so in local hands.
The Sullivan County Community Preservation Act allows towns and villages within Sullivan County to create a Community Preservation Plan and Community Preservation Fund (CPF). The plan identifies properties that are important for preserving farmland, as well as open space. Through a public referendum, residents of towns and villages within Sullivan County decide for themselves whether to create a real estate transfer fee of up to two percent to fund the preservation of these properties, and direct that fee to their Community Preservation Fund. The fee would only apply to the amount of a home’s sales price over the median real estate price in Sullivan County, which as of 2026 is $315,000.
Community Preservation Funds are popular and successful; the Town of New Paltz passed their referendum in 2020 with over 70% of voter support from the community, and the Town of Chatham passed the local ballot measure in 2023 with almost 70% voter approval. Using
funds from their CPF, the Town of Red Hook has conserved 4,162 acres of farmland, and Ulster County has raised $1 million to implement their open space plan.
Towns that seek the authority to protect community character through local funding and local control should be granted such power. This bill will benefit Sullivan County’s residents, towns and villages by giving them the choice to decide how and when to preserve their community’s heritage, while also more effectively guiding the town’s development.
This bill was introduced at the request of the Sullivan County Legislature.
