BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — As Blount County and East Tennessee continue to grow, one organization is giving landowners a choice to protect their property from being developed. 6 News spoke with Foothills Land Conservancy (FLC) to see what options are available for landowners looking to stay in control of the fate of their farms.
The Haslam College of Business Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research estimated Tennessee could add nearly 900,000 new residents by 2040, and with that growth comes increasing demand for housing, roads, and commercial space. While that creates opportunity, it also poses a risk for landowners who want to preserve what they have.
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In East Tennessee, where farmland meets growing cities, the pressure to develop is constant. Some have the desire to preserve the properties that have defined the region.
“This farm in today’s market is probably worth $10 million and you could see 500 houses on it. And because what Miss Harris did with a conservation easement that will prevent that from ever happening, forever,” explained Bill Clabough FLC’s Executive Director.That’s where FLC steps in, working with landowners to protect their properties from development and keep the rural landscape intact. They do this by working with landowners to establish agreements, known as conservation easements, that define reserved rights and restrictions.“I think it’s really important that people know that there are options out there, like conservation easements, that they have tools that they can use to kind of push back a little bit about where that development happens. Hopefully, most development is done in a smart way and in the places where it will have the least impact, but that doesn’t always happen,” said FLC Director of Natural Resources Shelby Sanders. “So for a landowner to know that they have a tool that, they can protect their property from all of that, no matter who comes to Tennessee, there will always be a pretty farm to look out over towards the mountains.”
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Organization leaders find it rewarding to help landowners realize their vision for the future of their property…