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Why A Study of Protected Land?Why A Study of Protected Land?

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Do You Remember?Do You Remember?

• WHEN THE URBAN AREA STOPPED AT THE AIRPORT?– Fruit farms on Route 5?– Ringling Brothers Circus in

Kearsarge?

• WHEN CHERRY STREET EXTENSION WAS FORESTED LAND?

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Every 50 YearsEvery 50 Years

• ERIE AWAKENS – And creates a long-range

visionary plan

• DESTINATION ERIE– $1.8 million planning

process– Is it reflecting your views?

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What's the Roadblock?What's the Roadblock?

• LAND USE– Every task force is talking

about it– Some get it, some don’t

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The Earth Is Calling ~ Are We Listening?The Earth Is Calling ~ Are We Listening?

• GREAT LAKES STRESSED AREAS

• ALGAE BLOOM

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What Happened?What Happened?

• POPULATION HAS STAGNATED– Up 1% in 50 years

• BUT LAND DEVELOPMENT SKYROCKETED– Residential, commercial &

industrial land use – Up 47.4% in 24 years

• 1978: 56.78 sq. mi

• 2002: 83.69 sq. mi

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You CanYou Can’’t Manufacture New Landt Manufacture New Land

• “Erie area developed 4.5 acres for every new household compared to the national average of 1.4”

– Brookings Institution’s study, Erie Times News, December 3, 2003

• SPRAWL COSTS US ALL1. Increase in the cost of Infrastructure 2. Increase in the cost of transportation3. Consumption of land4. CONCENTRATES poverty5. Increases pollution and stress

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Which Land Costs Us Money?Which Land Costs Us Money?

• Cost Revenue Ratios– MORE EXPENSE THAN

REVENUE• Industrial - 1:1.12

• Residential - 1:1.01

(Not counting LERTA and other economic development incentives)

– MORE REVENUE THAN EXPENSE

• Commercial - 1:0.98

• Agriculture - 1:0.74

• Open Space - 1:0.05

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We CanWe Can’’t Bring It Back, But t Bring It Back, But ……

• WE FORMED LERC IN 2000 TO SAVE LAND– We’ve raised nearly $12 million and led

the effort to save 1,200 acres• Such as Erie Bluffs State Park and Erie Golf

Course

• 20 projects, 7 miles shoreline frontage

– AND WE CAN HELP SAVE WHAT’S LEFT

• WOULD YOU LIKE 800 ACRES IN WESTERN ERIE COUNTY TO WALK, HUNT & PLAY IN?

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Open Space = Quality of LifeOpen Space = Quality of Life

• PARKS, RECREATION & LAND VALUES

• BUSINESSES WANT:– Region’s quality of life, not just

business related factors• Economic Committee of Congress

• PROFESSIONALS WANT:1. Education

2. Recreation• Fortune, “Best Cities: Where the Living is

Easy,” 1996

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Study Objectives & ApproachStudy Objectives & ApproachOBJECTIVES:

• Catalog Erie County open space

• Determine the economic value of open space in Erie County

APPROACH

• Be conservative

• Build on previous research studies

• Use standard input-output modeling and value transfer methods

• Provide simple descriptions of analysis and results

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The First Catalog: What We FoundThe First Catalog: What We Found• 639 PROTECTED OPEN SPACE

PROPERTIES

• 64,991 PROTECTED ACRES– 12.6% of total land (514,000 acres)

Including wetlands, 17,942 acres, or 9.2% of total land)

• INCLUDES:– 9,550 acres Private land trust owned

and eased lands– 17,942 wetlands acres – 6,892 Preserved working farmland

acres– 30,644 Public parks and trails acres

• 3,115 municipal acres • 27,492 state acres

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Protected Open Space CreatesProtected Open Space CreatesEconomic Value In Four WaysEconomic Value In Four Ways

1. RECREATIONAL VALUE

2. WEALTH GENERATION• E.g., higher property values and earnings

from open space-related activities

3. TAX REVENUES• E.g., increased property tax collections

due to higher property values

4. AVOIDED COSTS• E.g., dollars that would be spent on the

provision of environmental or health care services, such as improving water quality and removing air pollution in the absence of protected open space

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Property Values Rise With Open SpaceProperty Values Rise With Open Space

• PROPERTY NEAR PUBLIC PARKS IS VALUED HIGHER– 7% of Erie County housing values are

attributed to public parks, or $535 million.

• LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAXES BENEFIT FROM PUBLIC PARKS– 7% of Annual property and transfer

tax revenue, or $14.1 million

• EVERY ACRE PROTECTED ADDS VALUE– $5,448 average to all private property

valuations– $5,600 every year to tax revenues

and avoided costs

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Ecosystem Services Save $150 Million/ YearEcosystem Services Save $150 Million/ Year

• ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PROVIDED BY PROTECTED OPEN SPACE PROPERTIES PLUS WETLANDS:– $4,399,000/ year - Air pollution removal

– $65,614,000/ Year - Flood control

– $25,999,000/ Year - Water supply

– $16,803,000 / Year - Water quality

– $36,809,000 / Year - Biological & habitat

• $149,624,000/ year total

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Recreation Adds $382 Million AnnuallyRecreation Adds $382 Million Annually• RECREATION & HEALTH

ECONOMIC VALUE OF PROTECTED OPEN SPACES– $76,900,000/ year - Recreation

Use of Presque Isle State Park

– $55,911,600 / year - Sport Fishing

– $23,194,952 / year - Hunting

– $79,500,000 / year - Medical Costs Avoided

– $48,500,000 / year - Workers Compensation Cost Savings

• $284,006,552 / year - Total Recreation & Health Economic Value

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Economic Benefits To Private SectorEconomic Benefits To Private Sector• BUSINESS REVENUES

– $18 million/ year to businesses• Tourism revenue

– $2.8 million/ year to farmers• Commodity sales from preserved

working farmland

– $128 million/ year to businesses & workers

• Avoided medical & workers compensation costs through recreation

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Economic Benefits To ResidentsEconomic Benefits To Residents

• RECREATION VALUES– $156 million/ year = Value to

residents who recreate on protected open space

• PROPERTY VALUES– $535,000,000 = Value added

to residential property by protected open space

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Economic Benefits To Governments & TaxpayersEconomic Benefits To Governments & Taxpayers

• TAX REVENUE & AVOIDANCE– $14.7 million/year to local

governments• Property and transfer tax revenue

– $7.3 million/year to state & local governments

• State and local taxes

– $149.6 million/ year to taxpayers• Costs avoided by natural provision of

environmental services

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Economic Benefits To WorkersEconomic Benefits To Workers• JOBS

– $72.7 million/ year• Annual salaries

– $7 million/ year • Municipal park maintenance

expenditures

– 65 Full-time jobs• Maintaining protected open space

– 214 Full-time jobs• Erie County tourism jobs attributed

to protected open space

– 1,678 Total jobs created • As a result of protected open space

in Erie County

2/12/2013 Copyright 2009 22

The Total Value of Erie County Open SpaceThe Total Value of Erie County Open Space

• $556 MILLION/ YEAR– Total Economic Value/ year

• PLUS $535 MILLION– Increased housing value– $4,490 value increase for every Erie

County Residence

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Bottom Line: Your Return On InvestmentBottom Line: Your Return On Investment

• PROTECTING LAND RETURNS MONEY– $4,000 = Average cost of

protecting 1 acre– $63,000 = ROI on one

protected acre in 10 years– $16 = return to taxpayers

in 10 years on every $1 invested in protected open space

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Who Cares?Who Cares?• Erie County Taxpayers

507 65%

189 24%

81 10%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Yes No Not sure

Public Support of Conservancy Purchases

Public Support of Conservancy PurchasesDo the benefits of protecting wildlife habitat and public accessthrough conservancy purchases outweigh the loss of tax revenue and other benefits of keeping the land private?

Response Number Responding % of Responses

Yes 507 65.25%

No 189 24.32%

Not sure 81 10.42%

Total 777 100.00%

GoErie.com poll, May 24, 2012

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WhatWhat’’s Next For LERCs Next For LERC• SAVE MORE LAND

• GET A REFERENDUM ON THE 2014 BALLOT– To let tax millage generate

$250,000/ year

– We have a lot of work to do• Complete a detailed analysis

• Discuss with stakeholders

• Get formal support from local groups

• Poll to determine support

– We already have national support

– We need to raise $100,000 for the campaign

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Do You Want To Make Change?Do You Want To Make Change?1. CHEER, SUPPORT & ENJOY

• Walk, cross country ski, play, fish, hunt, bird-watch, photograph

• Share study results & Invite us to speak• Be happy when new land is protected

2. MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS• About future development

3. PROTECT YOUR LAND• Land donation, Fee simple purchase,

Easement (development rights) donation or Development rights purchase

4. PUT THE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT • Join the committee - Talk with Tom• Sign the petition• Give money