Greenville property in western Orange County

GREENVILLE – The 87 acre Greenville Ridge property near Huckleberry Ridge State Park in the Town of Greenville has been approved for purchase by a group of environmental organizations. The Orange County Legislature has given its okay to sell the land for $40,000 to the Open Space Institute, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Orange County Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy.

Open Space Conservancy, the land acquisition affiliate of Open Space Institute will take title.
County Executive Edward Diana said the sale is “another positive example of Orange County’s commitment to open space, even in these economically difficult times.”

Orange County Land Trust Executive Director James Delaune called the purchase “an innovative and inexpensive way for conservation groups to partner with the county to continue to protect valuable lands here in Orange County when funding for land protection is scarce.”

The property appeared on the county’s 2011 tax sale action role for nonpayment of property taxes, but received no bid offers. It was then pulled from the auction roll by Diana in keeping with legislation approved in 2010 at the request of the Orange County Land Trust. Under the legislation, properties with high conservation, recreational or scenic value that appear on the county auction list can be pulled by the county executive and offered for sale, with legislative approval, to local, regional or national conservation groups.