Work Session: Land UseWork Session: Land UseWork Session: Land UseWork Session: Land UsePreserving Open SpacePreserving Open Space

Dorothy PalumboDorothy PalumboCity AttorneyCity Attorney

City of Highland Village, TexasCity of Highland Village, Texas

October 17October 17--21 Miami, Florida21 Miami, Florida

2009 International Municipal Lawyers Association2009 International Municipal Lawyers Association

What is Open SpaceWhat is Open Space

♦♦ Recreational ValueRecreational Value♦♦ Educational ValueEducational Value♦♦ Educational ValueEducational Value♦♦ Ecological ValueEcological Value♦♦ Aesthetic ValueAesthetic Value♦♦ Historic ValueHistoric Value

Tools AvailableTools Available

♦♦ Open Space PlansOpen Space Plans♦♦ City AcquisitionsCity Acquisitionsy qy q♦♦ PublicPublic--Private PartnershipsPrivate Partnerships♦♦ Nature ConservanciesNature Conservancies

R l i /D di iR l i /D di i♦♦ Regulations/DedicationsRegulations/Dedications♦♦ IncentivesIncentives♦♦ Conservation EasementsConservation Easements♦♦ Conservation EasementsConservation Easements♦♦ “Green Infrastructure”“Green Infrastructure”

Working with a Land TrustWorking with a Land Trust

♦♦ NotNot--forfor--Profit organization Profit organization (local regional state intra(local regional state intra--state orstate or(local, regional state, intra(local, regional state, intra--state or state or national) directly involved in national) directly involved in preserving open spacepreserving open spacep g p pp g p p

♦♦ May be a Private NotMay be a Private Not--forfor--ProfitProfit♦♦ Purchases or accepts land donationsPurchases or accepts land donations♦♦ Negotiates conservation transfersNegotiates conservation transfers♦♦ Works with government to acquire land Works with government to acquire land

Working with TPLWorking with TPL

♦♦ Predevelopment AgreementsPredevelopment AgreementsTerm SheetsTerm SheetsTerm SheetsTerm SheetsNonNon--Binding Letter of IntentBinding Letter of IntentMemorandum of UnderstandingMemorandum of Understanding

♦♦ Conservation Services AgreementConservation Services Agreement♦♦ Purchase and Sale AgreementPurchase and Sale Agreement♦♦ Foreclosure processForeclosure process♦♦ Foreclosure processForeclosure process

Locational Map for Doubletree Ranch and Copperas Branch Park

I-35E Corridor and Copperas Branch Park

Aerial of Doubletree Ranch Site

Concept Plan for Senior CommunityConcept Plan for Senior Community

Proposed Land Uses for Doubletree Site

Proposed Land Uses for Conservation Zone

Infill or Hard to Develop AreasInfill or Hard to Develop Areas

♦♦ Development AgreementDevelopment Agreement

♦♦ Real Estate Sales AgreementReal Estate Sales Agreement

♦♦ Conservation EasementConservation Easement

Original St. James Place Plat – 22 Lots

Approved St. James Place Plat – 14 Lots

TX Natural Resources Code, TX Natural Resources Code, Chapter 183Chapter 183

Preservation/protection of land areas for:Preservation/protection of land areas for:♦♦ Natural, scenic or open space valuesNatural, scenic or open space values, p p, p p♦♦ Availability for agricultural, forest, Availability for agricultural, forest,

recreational or open space userecreational or open space use♦♦ Protection of natural resourcesProtection of natural resources♦♦ Maintaining or enhancing air or water Maintaining or enhancing air or water

qualityqualityqualityquality♦♦ Historical, architectural, archeological or Historical, architectural, archeological or

cultural aspectscultural aspectscultural aspects cultural aspects

Internal Revenue Code Internal Revenue Code §§170(h)170(h)

Preservation/protection of land areas for:Preservation/protection of land areas for:Preservation/protection of land areas for:Preservation/protection of land areas for:♦♦ Outdoor recreation by the general publicOutdoor recreation by the general public♦♦ Education of the general publicEducation of the general public♦♦ Education of the general publicEducation of the general public♦♦ Relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife Relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife

or plants or similar ecosystemor plants or similar ecosystemor plants or similar ecosystemor plants or similar ecosystem♦♦ Scenic enjoyment of the general publicScenic enjoyment of the general public♦♦ Open Space pursuant to clearly delineated Open Space pursuant to clearly delineated

Federal, State or local governmental Federal, State or local governmental conservation policyconservation policyHistorically important land area or a certifiedHistorically important land area or a certified♦♦ Historically important land area or a certified Historically important land area or a certified historic structure historic structure

Elements of Conservation EasementElements of Conservation Easement

♦♦ GrantorGrantor♦♦ Qualified holderQualified holder♦♦ Qualified holderQualified holder♦♦ Description of conservation values Description of conservation values

and purposesand purposesand purposesand purposes♦♦ DurationDuration--perpetualperpetual♦♦ RestrictionsRestrictions♦♦ Rights conveyed to holderRights conveyed to holder♦♦ Access by granteeAccess by grantee

Elements ContinuedElements Continued

♦♦ Access by publicAccess by public♦♦ Reserved rightsReserved rights♦♦ Reserved rightsReserved rights♦♦ AmendmentAmendment♦♦ AssignmentAssignmentgg♦♦ Run with the landRun with the land♦♦ SubordinationSubordination♦♦ Successors Successors

Comprehensive Plan UpdateComprehensive Plan Update

Basis for regulatory schemeBasis for regulatory schemeMajor Components:Major Components:♦♦ Community inventoryCommunity inventory♦♦ Environmental inventoryEnvironmental inventory♦♦ Goals, objectives, policiesGoals, objectives, policies♦♦ Elements of plan (SubElements of plan (Sub--plans)plans)

I l t tiI l t ti♦♦ Implementation Implementation

U.S. Supreme Court CasesU.S. Supreme Court Cases

♦♦ Agins v. City of Tiburon, Agins v. City of Tiburon, 100 S.Ct. 2138 (1980) 100 S.Ct. 2138 (1980) Open space zoning: a legitimate governmental goal Open space zoning: a legitimate governmental goal

♦♦ Nollan v California Coastal Corp 107 S Ct 3141 (1987)Nollan v California Coastal Corp 107 S Ct 3141 (1987)♦♦ Nollan v. California Coastal Corp., 107. S.Ct. 3141 (1987) Nollan v. California Coastal Corp., 107. S.Ct. 3141 (1987) Essential NexusEssential Nexus

♦♦ Lucas v. So. Carolina Coastal Co., Lucas v. So. Carolina Coastal Co., 112 S. Ct. 2886 (1992) 112 S. Ct. 2886 (1992) Deprivation of all economical or beneficial useDeprivation of all economical or beneficial useDeprivation of all economical or beneficial useDeprivation of all economical or beneficial use

♦♦ Dollan v. City of Tigard, Dollan v. City of Tigard, 114 S.Ct. 2309 (1994) 114 S.Ct. 2309 (1994) Rough proportionalityRough proportionality