ROOM AT THE TABLE - Intersight - University at Buffalo

as one of the seven desired industry clusters and granting additional points
for investing in this sector, the ECIDA clearly places an incentive on
promoting agriculture in Erie County.
E. Innovative Efforts by Local Governments within Erie County
Municipalities, too, have taken steps to improve the state of
agriculture within their jurisdiction. Empowered in New York with home
rule, municipalities have leverage in making land use decisions to support
foods and agriculture. We highlight actions taken by two of Erie County’s
municipalities to preserve and even expand the state of food production.
In 2002, residents of the Town of Clarence decisively approved a
$12.5 million dollar bond authorization to fund the protection of open space
as a powerful means to retain the town’s rural character. As one of two
propositions on the 2002 general election ballot, Town of Clarence residents
were asked to vote on a bond resolution “authorizing the acquisitions of
interests or rights in real property in the Town, including, but not limited to,
development rights in agricultural lands, for the preservation of open spaces
and area, at the estimated maximum cost of $12.5 million dollars.” 87 With
approximately 10,357 votes cast, approximately 47 percent, (4,832 votes)
of the town residents cast a “yes” ballot in favor of the bond authorization,
while only 26 percent (2,747 votes) of the population voted against the
proposition. 88
Immediately after the 2002 bond authorization vote, the Clarence
Town Board appointed the Western New York Conservancy *1 as the Town’s
agent for planning and implementing the Town’s “Greenprint” Plan. 89 The
"29'!/,*'( ".( /4'( Jh+''#B+,#/( Q30#K( ,$( /"( B+"/'!/( '!"3"-,!0335( $,-#,)!0#/(
landscapes, valuable agriculture resources, visual beauty and rural character
of the town, while sustaining a stable tax base and managing growth. 90
Through the Conservancy, the town began communicating with land owners
* The Western New York Land Conservancy is a voluntary land­conservation organization
that works in conjunction with public and private landowners in the eight Western New
York counties. The eight counties are Allegheny, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee,
Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming.
77