Each Sandridge property is under a conservation easement held by the North American Land Trust to ensure this Preserve, and its unique features, will forever be protect for current and future generations. A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust, government entity or a qualified conservation organization, under which a landowner voluntarily restricts certain uses of the property to protect its natural aesthetics and conservation values.
Rarely is any property without some level of restriction. Property Owner Associations, Zoning and City Ordinances, all have legal covenants that must be followed. A conservation easement is no different. It is important to read and understand the details before buying any property.
Remember that at the time of the donation, a careful negotiation took place. The land trust identified what features of the property were important to protect, e.g. conservation values.
At the same time, the landowner defined a “bundle of rights” that it retained for the property, and those that they gave up. Think of it as the landowner holding a bundle of property rights; these rights may include the right to develop, subdivide, construct buildings, irrigate, harvest timber or restrict access. A landowner may sell or donate the whole bundle of rights or just one or two of those rights. The rights the landowner chooses to sell or donate become the restrictions on the property. The restrictions placed on the property, pursuant to the conservation easement, are perpetual and binding on all future owners of the property. This means, if the property is ever passed on to an heir or is sold, the new owner will be subject to the conservation easement. These cannot be amended or changed in any way, at any time.
A copy of the Deed of Conservation Easement will be provided for a careful review of rights and restrictions.
