[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Tolland 8-8-2000
by Ord. No. 59. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to Connecticut General Statute Section 7-131r, the Town hereby establishes an Open Space Land Acquisition Fund to be used for the permanent preservation and/or conservation of open space within the Town by acquiring title to land, conservation easements, development rights or similar interest in appropriate parcels of land. The use of any parcels purchased from the proceeds of the Fund shall be restricted to passive activities, including, but not limited to, parks, hiking, wildlife observation, horseback riding or similar pursuits. The purchase of any development rights or similar interests shall be for the sole purpose of preserving the parcel's natural or agricultural character. Any real property purchased with the proceeds of $2,000,000 of the appropriations and borrowing authorization approved by the Council in August 2000 shall also be subject to the same use limitations as provided in this § 37-1.
Contributions to the fund shall be received from:
A.
Donations from public and private individuals and entities.
B.
Appropriations made in the Annual Budget as allowed by
Connecticut General Statute Section 7-131r.
C.
Moneys received by the Town as government grants or loans
for open space preservation purposes.
D.
Any other moneys appropriated to the Fund by the Town
Council.
The Fund shall be in the custody of the Treasurer of the Town of Tolland and all or any part of the moneys in said Fund may, from time to time, be invested in any securities in which public funds may lawfully be invested. All income derived from such investments shall be paid into the Fund and become a part thereof. The moneys so invested shall at all times be subject to withdrawal for use as provided in § 37-1 above.
A.
Moneys paid to the Open Space Land Acquisition Fund and
interest earned thereon shall be used solely by the Town for the acquisition
of real property, including development rights and conservation easements,
by the Town, provided that all such expenditures shall be approved by all
necessary Town boards and commissions. Expenses incidental to the acquisition
of such open space parcels or rights to land, such as the cost for surveys,
appraisals, options to purchase, real estate commissions, legal fees or similar
related expenses may also be paid for from this Fund.
B.
Moneys in the Fund may be used to provide matching funds,
if required, by any grants received from the State or Connecticut Protected
Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program or such similar type
of program.
This fund shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year, as permitted
by Connecticut General Statute Sec. 7-148(c)(2)(K).
