Chapter 61B, a current use property tax program, allows landowners with 5 acres or more of open space to have their property assessed for its actual value in its current state, rather than for its potential value should it be developed. This current use assessment usually results in a 75% tax reduction.

The goal of the program is to make owning land more affordable, so that people who value their open space can keep it open, rather than selling or developing it. Last month we shared information regarding Chapter 61B, who is eligible and how to enroll. Since that time we’ve been speaking with landowners who are enrolled in the program to learn about their experience. Anecdotally, it appears the program is working, and landowners are pleased.

Sylvia Gallagher lives in Greenfield on property that has been in her family for centuries. Her 10 acres have been in 61B for decades after her father, who was then owner, enrolled it as a way to save money on taxes. Historically, the woods on the property were cut for firewood, but in recent years there hasn’t been any cutting. Sylvia primarily values her hilly woods for its history as her ancestral home. She welcomes the tax savings 61B offers and notes that there is very little involved with the program, other than remembering to file the annual paperwork. “I’ve been very satisfied with the program,” says Sylvia and she would recommend it to other landowners.

Another landowner in Colrain has had a similar experience with the program. Prior to enrolling in chapter 61B, she had her land in chapter 61A, a similar program for active timberland. Because she stopped actively managing her 80 acres, she converted the property to 61B, which has no management requirements. The property is now used primarily for recreation, with trails for hikers and snowmobilers in the winter, and she enjoys foraging for wild leeks there  in the spring. While she has no immediate plans, the landowner says she may choose to do a little more logging on the land in the future, which is allowed under 61B. It’s this flexibility that she enjoys most about the program. “I don’t want to jump through hoops,” she says. “I’m 70 years old and at this point I want to be able to do what I want to do with my land.” Chapter 61B has allowed her to keep the land by making it more affordable, but also allows her to use or not use the land as she sees fit. “I see the program as a way to keep the land open for recreation,” she explains, “I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t have it in 61B.”

In Middlefield, John E. Richardson owns 52 acres that are in 61B, with another 54 acres in Windsor that will soon be enrolled in the program. A big supporter of conservation (and a member of a handful or two of conservation organizations), John learned about the program from his town assessor. He considers it a program that gives him control over his land, while saving money. He has an interest in permanently protecting the land in a conservation restriction, but notes that it can take a chunk of money to do so. So while he’s saving up, 61B is reducing his costs, which will perhaps help him reach his goal sooner. As a lover of wildlife, John sees 61B is a great program for “people who want a place where wildlife can be wild.”

A Chicopee resident, who jointly owns 12 acres in Westhampton with her siblings, echoes the remarks of other landowners who have property in 61B. “Chapter 61B is a great program,” she says, “because it makes owning the land much more doable. If we weren’t in the program, we would probably have to sell at least a portion of the property.” Instead, her family is able to keep the 12 acres as an off-site backyard, where they go regularly to fish and enjoy nature. It’s a program that requires little maintenance to be in, she explains, other than the annual paperwork, which is minimal. Like others, her town assessor is there to remind her when it needs to be submitted, and then she can forget about it for the rest of the year.

The experiences these and other landowners have had with Chapter 61B reflect the goal of the program, which is to be a tax saving method that requires minimal regulation and minimal involvement by the landowner. It is geared towards those who enjoy their land and value the open space, but who don’t have the desire to have a management plan implemented on the property. If that sounds like you, check out last month’s feature for more information on how the program works and how to enroll (http://massacorn.net/index.php/update/11-highlight/152-march-2010-ch-61b-an-excellent-fit-for-many-landowners). Additional information can be found at www.masswoods.net.