Proposed conservation easement gains traction with Vermont Land Trust

KIRBY — A proposed permanent conservation easement on 115 acres of farmland surrounding the Kirby Town Hall is poised to be preserved as agricultural land through the Vermont Land Trust. But a hiccup over whether an approximately 4.1-4.5 acre piece is left out of the conservation easement for possible future purchase by the Town of Kirby is at play – with town officials in recent days writing the land trust urging a 4.5-acre piece be kept out of the easement. Town officials are hoping to see the land directly behind the town hall and garage left out of the easement so it could be sub-divided and sold one day, but the landowners say the town has had ample opportunity to purchase land near the town hall in the past under the prior owner, and they have offered to lease land across the street for the town’s sand pile to be moved. An impasse over the town the land wants to buy is now potentially complicating the land trust easement.