Hauppauge - The Suffolk County Legislature overwhelming approved the preservation of the farmland surrounding the Pike's farm stand on Sagg Main in Sagaponack today. The County Legislature agreed to purchase the development rights on the 7.46-acre farm in partnership with the Town of Southampton.

The county will purchase 70 percent of the rights for $4,326,800 and Southampton will contribute 30 percent for $1,298,040. The Peconic Land Trust (PLT) will purchase the underlying agricultural lands and then place further restrictions on the use of the property before selling the farmland to the Pike family. The Pike's have been farming the property for many years while operating a popular farm stand. This purchase of farmland development rights will ensure that this highly visible farmland will remain as farmland in the future.

Introductory Resolution 2062-09 cleared the Environment, Planning and Agriculture (EPA) Committee on Monday, November 28. Legislator Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) serves as chairman of the EPA committee.

Legislator Schneiderman said the purchase means that, "A key component of our rural character has been saved from residential development." The legislator said that by purchasing the development rights, "we are preserving a piece of our past for the enjoyment of future generations."

IR 2062-09 authorizes the County Executive to enter into a contract to purchase the development rights on the parcel. County Executive Levy must first sign the resolution. Levy has expressed his support for the acquisition.

The PLT has raised approximately $1 million in donations and pledges thus far and is continuing to fundraise the balance. The Trust's contract with the Hopping family to complete the purchase expires on December 31, 2009.

"We are extremely pleased with the vote today by the County Legislature," said PLT President John v.H. Halsey, "We thank the Legislature and the County Executive for their support of this project, which will ensure that this farmland will be in agricultural production forever. In particular, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our local Legislator Jay Schneiderman for his whole-hearted support in championing this project with his colleagues at the Legislature. Without his support and that of County Executive Steve Levy, this day would have never come to pass."

Joining members of the Peconic Land Trust this morning in voicing support for the project were Southampton Town Board member Nancy Grabowski, Southampton Community Preservation Program Manager Mary Wilson, who also read a letter of support from Town Supervisor Linda Kabot, Jim and Jennifer Pike, Sagaponack resident Terry Stevens, and PLT board members Nancy Goell (East Hampton) and Tom Williams (Brookhaven). Letters were also submitted by Sagaponack Village Trustee Lee Foster, Kathleen White, a local Sagaponack farmer, and Water Mill resident John Erwin.

According to Jim and Jennifer Pike, "We are very pleased with the recent vote by the Suffolk County Legislature to approve the 70 percent/30 percent partnership with Southampton Town to purchase the development rights of the Hopping property. We are also very thankful to the Peconic Land Trust for their tireless negotiating, fundraising and lobbying efforts on our behalf over the last two and a half years. We look forward to a successful conclusion of the sale of this property and would also like to thank everyone who has donated or pledged in support of this project. Should the sale go through, we hope to continue to operate our farm stand as we always have and will continue to provide the best quality produce that we can."

The approval by the legislature now paves the way for the final fundraising effort by the Trust. To date, about $1 million of the $1.7 million needed to close has been donated or pledged by nearly 300 members of the community. In an effort to help close the gap, The Pew Charitable Trusts, through its Northeast Land Trust Consortium, has expressed a willingness to provide a matching grant of $1 for every $5 donated to close the project. With today's vote, it is now possible to formalize the Pew Challenge.