PRESENTATION BY:

ROBERT M. BURKE

Owner

Licensed Title Agent & Attorney

Conservation Easements

New Law Requiring

Notice and Copies:

Real Estate Agent Duties

Section 10-705, Real Property Article, Maryland Code

• Effective October 1, 2007

• Conservation Easement

• Purchaser Right to Rescind

• Copy of All Conservation Easements

• Notice in Contract

• Purchaser Duty to Notify Environmental Agency

Conservation Easement Owners

• Maryland Environmental Trust

• Maryland Historical Trust

• Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources

• A Land Trust (The Conservancy for Charles County)

Maryland Environmental Trust

• See Example• Purpose: to conserve open space and natural

scenic qualities• Perpetual• Prohibits non-agricultural uses• Prohibits construction• Prohibits subdivision & development• Injunction, Require Restoration• Notice Requirement if Sell• Income Tax Deduction

Maryland Historical Trust

• See Example

• Purpose: to preserve, protect and maintain historic, aesthetic & cultural character

• Perpetual

• Requires Consent for changes to improvements, new construction, grading

• Injunction, Require Restoration

• Notice Requirement if Sell

Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation

• See Example District Agreement & Easement• Purpose: protect and preserve agricultural and

forestry values• 5 Year Pre-Approval, then Perpetual• Prohibits Uses other then Agricultural• Prohibits new construction, subdivision• Injunction, Require Restoration• Notice Requirement if Sell• Sell Easement to Foundation for $• 30,000 acres under Agreement in Charles Cnty

Maryland Dept Natural Resources

• No Example

• Purpose: usually preserves forestry

• Few – Gladfelter in Nanjemoy

Land Trust

• Qualified under IRS 170 (h)(3)

• Cooperative Agreement with MD Environmental Trust

• The Conservancy for Charles County

• Very similar to MD Environmental Trust Easements, just locally administered

County Gov’t Owned Easements

• Rural Legacy Program

• Forest Conservation Easements

• Transferable Development Rights (TDRs)

• Are they Included in Statute?

Determining Existence

• Title Abstract• Call your friendly title company:

SOUTHERN MARYLAND TITLE• Not all title companies are as

knowledgeable• Not all title companies will do it for FREE• Save your Seller $120.00 to $200.00 • Must give copies of Conservation

Easements to Buyer

Buyer Right to Rescind

• If Seller fails to give Buyer copies within 20 days after contract ratification

• If Seller fails to put the Notice in the Contract

• Seller knowledge is irrelevant

• Only actual existence of Easement matters – recorded in Land Records

Real Estate Agent Liability

• Duty to protect and advise Seller

• CYA Notice for Seller to Sign (prepared by Al Monshower)

• Liability if sale is rescinded – loss of profit

• Be knowledgeable

• Shift liability to Southern Maryland Title