Mobbs Conservation Effort to Move Forward after Town Meeting, Selectboard Approval
That any part of the 260-acre Mobbs Farm property was not already conserved may have come as a shock to Jericho residents who voted on Article I on this past Town Meeting Day.
But Article I, an advisory vote on whether or not a conservation easement ought to be drawn up for the property, was the first action taken to protect the land against future development. The official language called for the protection of just under 250 acres of land to the tune of $43,000. 91% of Jericho voters — 1,033 people — voted in favor of the conservation easement. 101 voters were against it.
According to Mobbs Committee Chair Pete Davis, conservation of the farm was a part of the original owner’s vision for the property. It is easy to understand why: the scenic land, which accommodates bikers, runners, and skiers, as well as many educational opportunities, is a natural asset. And in a phone conversation, he credited Mobbs Farm’s beauty with the ability to attract new residents.
Of the 101 votes against the article, Davis suspected that many voters were primarily deterred by the conservation effort’s price tag.
However, Jericho residents won’t be footing the bill.
Somewhat quietly, the $43,000 has been raised by the Jericho Underhill Land Trust (JULT), the Vermont Land Trust Forest Reserve Fund, and the Jericho Conservation Fund, which is overseen by the Conservation Committee. Each organization accounted for $10,000. The remaining $13,000 was put forth by the Kusserow Family Fund.
With funding in place, and the March 2 advisory vote approved, the decision then fell to the Selectboard for an affirmative vote. In their March 18 meeting, the plan was solidified.
The Vermont Land Trust will start drafting a conservation easement which will include sections on restricted and permitted uses, important natural features, public access, and a management plan. That document will then be passed back and forth between the town and VLT until a final draft is solidified.
Livy Strong, Chair of JULT, stressed that precise language is important. “It’s a lengthy process, and it should be,” she said. The easement will be in effect for perpetuity, said Strong.
Mobbs Farm on March 23, 2021. Photo by Courtney Smith.
And while there are no true barriers to enacting this conservation easement, Strong also mentioned the need for maintained focus on the conservation effort. It could be easy for it to fall on the Selectboard’s backburner, Strong said.
Whether or not that’s the case, the Mobbs Committee will still be working to use up the rest of their budget before the end of the fiscal year.
According to Davis, the remaining funds will be spent on infrastructure projects, bridge and boardwalk fortification, and kiosk information upgrades. It’s also unclear what a spring cleaning effort will look like this year, if it happens at all, Davis said.
Once protected, its trails will be enjoyed by generations to come — according to Davis, this had been the original owner’s vision anyway.
