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Commissioners commit $18,002.92 from county land-preservation funds to complete Berman Mount easement
Summary
Washington County approved committing $18,002.92 of county land-preservation funds to cover a shortfall and complete a Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) easement offer for the Berman property.
The Washington County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve an easement agreement covering the Berman Mount property and to commit $18,002.92 from county land-preservation funds to complete the MALPF offer.
Chris Walms, rural preservation administrator in the Department of Planning and Zoning, told commissioners that MALPF awards easement values based on per-acre appraisals and that title work revealed acreage differences on the Berman property. That discrepancy reduced the MALPF offer so the county was asked to fill the shortfall.
Walms said MALPF initially indicated a shortfall of approximately $24,990 but later corrected the figure to $18,002.92. He described county intent as compensating landowners for surrendering development rights and said the county had previously approved a $1,500,000 contribution from the general fund for land-preservation efforts in FY24.
The motion to approve the easement agreement and commit the $18,002.92 passed 4-0. County counsel reviewed the approved easement agreement and the Agricultural Advisory Board had recommended use of county land-preservation funds for the procurement.
