Molinaro Announces 490 Acres Land Protected through Partnership for Manageable Growth
Poughkeepsie … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today announced Dutchess County’s Partnership for Manageable Growth (PMG) Program will provide more than $2.2 million to permanently protect four farms, preserving working agricultural lands for years to come, and assist a community organization in converting the deteriorated former Bennett College property into a new community park.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Dutchess County remains a leader in the protection of farmland and open space, and our Partnership for Manageable Growth allows us to do so – maintaining both our agrarian heritage and our County’s visual splendor for years to come. Through our preservation, these four farms will endure as vital parts of Dutchess County’s agricultural legacy, continuing to contribute to our local economy and the charm that makes our community unique. The convergence of the deteriorating, former Bennett College campus into a public park will revitalize an important historical and cultural site located at the southern gateway to the Village of Millbrook and return it to the public realm for future generations to enjoy.”
The County Planning Board evaluated proposed projects using objective criteria, met with the farmers and landowners at each property and subsequently provided funding recommendations to County Executive Molinaro. The four farm projects are contained within the County’s “Agricultural Priority Areas,” as delineated in the 2015 Dutchess County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan, and revitalization of the former Bennett College site has long been a priority for the Millbrook community.
