Conservation Application

VERMONT HOUSING & CONSERVATION BOARD

58 E. State Street

Montpelier, VT 05602

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

This application is to be used for all non-farm conservation projects

A schedule of upcoming VHCB Board meetings and application deadlines is available on the VHCB website.

ALL APPLICANTS:

Submit one copy of the following for VHCB’s master file:

a) Correspondence (to and from municipal, regional, and state officials)

b) Letters of Support

c) Appraisal Report (must be based on site plan submitted with application)

d) Purchase and Sales Agreement (signed copy) or other site control letter

e) Ecological Report (if one exists)

NON-PROFITS:

Please attach a copy of the following to the application (If these documents are already on file at VHCB, it is not necessary to submit them.)

a) a list of the board of directors, including addresses and telephone numbers, occupations or organizational affiliations.

b) 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS for the applicant organization or sponsoring organization

c) Most recent audited financial statement

d) Bylaws

e) Articles of Association

f) Most recent 990 filing

The Board's adopted rule as well as the following VHCB policies and guidelines are available upon request, or on the VHCB website, VHCB Policies

CONSERVATION POLICIES

Archaeology Resources (Proposed Policy) 9/03 )
Conservation of Agricultural Land 1/2015
Conservation Easement Holding and Stewardship Policy 3/05
Associated Costs for Non-Farm Conservation Projects 5/08
Feasibility Funds 1/03
Natural Areas 6/18
Historic Preservation 5/03
Interim Policy on Amending Conservation Easements 1/13
Local Conservation Projects 9/08
Organizational Development Funding 6/2012
Public Access on Agricultural Land 11/99
Public Outdoor Recreation 7/88
Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program 6/04

CONSERVATION GUIDELINES
Guidelines for Funding Private Working Forestland and Sugarbushes 1/2013 (PDF)
Interim Renewable Energy Guidelines 1/2014 (PDF)
Water Quality Guidelines 1/2015 (PDF)

APPRAISAL & MAPPING STANDARDS:

Conservation Mapping Standards

Fee Simple Appraisals of Conservation Properties

Note:

If you plan to copy and paste from a word processor (MS Word), you must either save the word document as a txt file or copy and paste into a text processor (Notepad) and then copy and paste from that into this document. Copying directly from MS Word includes hidden codes that may negatively affect the compilation of this online web-based application.

Page 2

Date

Type of Conservation Project:

Is this an historic preservation project ?

YesNo

Confirm that Preservation of the project meets the criteria for funding eligibility for single goal historic preservation projects as outlined in the Board’s policy on Historic projects, and that the applicant and/or owner acknowledges that buildings of “Outstanding Historic Significance” will be subject to a perpetual historic preservation easement as a condition of VHCB funding.

I agreeI do not agreee

Applicant Organization

Applicant organization (if not listed above)

Project Name:

Owner of Property (if not Applicant)

Property manager (if different from above)

Applicant Address

Mailing Address (street or PO Box)	Town
State	Zip
Home Phone	Cell Phone
Staff Contact (name):	Email

Landowner Address

Mailing Address (street or PO Box)	Town
State	Zip
Home Phone	Cell Phone
Email

Property Address (if different from above)

Address MUST be the 911 address - NOT a PO box, etc. that is not the physical address	Town	State	Zip
County where property is	Other town (if applicable)	Latitude
Longitude

Contact (if different from current Property Owner)

Contact Person:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Total Number of Acres to be Protected:

TOTAL VHCB FUNDS REQUESTED (grant):

TOTAL PROJECT EXPENSES (from budget):

Because VHCB awards are a matter of public record, VHCB may describe this project in a press release following the Board's decision. Do you wish to be involved in public notification about your project?

YesNo

1. SUMMARY

Please summarize the project in one page or less. Briefly describe the goals of the project, significant features, partnerships, need and urgency and other relevant information that is not included elsewhere in the application. Note how the project will meet VHCB, local and state priorities and include mention of how the project supports efforts to improve the quality of Vermont's surface waters and to help mitigate and/or adapt to climate change, as well as indicators of impact on the local and/or state economy.

2. ORGANIZATIONAL

a) Briefly describe the history and purpose of the organization that is applying.

b) Who will be holding the title to the property (if not the applicant)? Is that organization eligible for Trust Fund Assistance? Provide the information requested above about that organization as well.

3. TIMETABLE

What is the timetable proposed for completion of this project, including closing dates?

Appraisal Value:

Appraisal Effective Date:

4. LINKAGE

The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board will give highest priority to those applications that address both goals of the Act which established the Trust Fund: affordable housing and land conservation (10 V.S.A. Chapter 15, Section 302). However, the Board recognizes that in certain cases it may not be practical or even desirable to meet both these goals. If this is not a dual goal application, what has the local community or town done to deal with problems of affordable housing for lower income people?

If applicable, and not already discussed above, describe how this project meets or enhances other parts of VHCB's mission besides natural resource protection, public access to recreation, and/or historic preservation (i.e. farmland protection, affordable housing, surface water protection, protection of working forestland etc).

5. SITE INFORMATION

a) What is the present use of the site? Proposed Use?

b) What are its significant features?

c) If applicable, how many acres of primary agricultural soils (prime and statewide) as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service does the site contain? Attach a soils map with property boundaries shown.

d) Is the site recognized on the State or National Register of Historic Sites or on state conservation inventories such as the Vermont Non-Game Natural Heritage Inventory, the Vermont Conservation Design or the ANR Atlas etc.? (Consult the VT Division of Historic Preservation, ANR and/or the Vermont Natural Heritage Program.)

e) Are there any deed restrictions on the use of the property? If yes, what are they?

f) Are any public buildings on the property accessible to persons with physical disabilities in accordance with state and federal accessibility regulations? Are public buildings adaptable to persons with physical disabilities?

g) Does the property have recreational trails?

YesNo

Miles of Trails

Trail Corridor Manager (if different from Owner)

6. WATER QUALITY/SURFACE WATER

Of the "project acres," how many acres are wetland?	Wetland Acres:
Of the "project acres," how many acres are in the floodplain?	Floodplain Acres:
Please choose the major drainage basin for this property	Is there surface water on the property? YesNo
Surface Water Frontage (length in ft.):	Indicate the name(s) of surface waters

If applicable, briefly describe the project’s relevance to impaired waters and or any benefits to Total Maximum Daily Load thresholds.

7. EASEMENT STEWARDSHIP

Conservation easements require long-term easement stewardship. In some circumstances VHCB is willing to sole-hold the conservation easement and act as primary steward but in general prefers to designate stewardship to another entity.

Does the applicant organization have a Stewardship Memorandum of Understanding with VHCB?

YesNo

Has the applicant organization identified a Stewardship partner?

YesNo

Name of Stewardship partner:

8. LEVERAGE

a) Describe all sources of leverage, including bargain sale, easement donations, foundation funds, and local fundraising. If a local project, please document that the project has at least 33% of total project costs derived from non-VHCB sources.

9. PUBLIC POLICY/COMMUNITY SUPPORT

a) Is the project in conformance with adopted or proposed local and regional plans and zoning? Please describe the zoning restrictions on the proposed project acreage, as well as the relevant sections of the town and regional plans that address how this project conforms to the plans.

b) Are there existing or proposed public investments in highways, water and sewer systems, or other capital plans or facilities on or near the property? If so, discuss whether or not they are consistent with conservation.

c) Do municipal programs exist that support conservation, eg., tax stabilization, or municipal conservation fund? If so, what percentage of funds will be used for this project?

d) Have the regional planning commission and local officials (selectboard, conservation and/or local planning commissions) expressed support for the project? (If possible, please include one copy of town/regional letters with the application).

e) Describe any endorsements or other indications of community support for the project.

f) Priority shall be given to local projects with at least two of the following conservation purposes: outdoor public recreation, natural area protection, historic preservation, and agricultural land preservation. Please explain how this project meets two or more conservation goals.

g) All projects seeking funding under this policy must demonstrate municipal support in the form of a letter of endorsement from the selectboard(s) of the town or towns where the project is located. Has this letter been secured? (Please attach).

YesNo

h) VHCB requires applicants to inform towns and Regional Planning Commissions in writing about proposed conservation projects prior to submitting an application to VHCB. Please confirm that a letter has been sent to:

Municipal OfficialsRegional Planning Commissionthe Division for Historic Preservation, if the project involves alterations to a building more than 50 years old.

10. Budget - Please use this form: Conservation-Budget