Rockland, Clarkstown Agree to Make $6M Land Purchase

NEW CITY, NY-Pending the approval of the Rockland County Legislature, which could happen within the month, Rockland County and the Town of Clarkstown will acquire the 23-acre Cropsey Farm here. Rockland County officials say that sales contracts are expected to be signed with farm owners James and Patricia Cropsey once the Rockland County Legislature approves a resolution to acquire the property.

The Cropsey property, located on the east side of Little Tor Road in New City, has been used as an active farm for years. The Blauvelt Brothers built the Dutch Colonial farmhouse in 1769 and the Cropsey family bought the property in 1893, county officials noted.

If approved, Rockland County will contribute $4 million to the purchase of the landmark farm, which will be preserved as parkland. The town will pay $2.5 million and be reimbursed by the state for $1 million of its share. The county and the town will split maintenance responsibilities.

“The purchase of this piece of Rockland’s remaining green space is not just a preservation of our environment; it’s also a preservation of our rich history,” says Rockland county executive C. Scott Vanderhoef. “Preserving this farm makes good sense and is good public policy,” adds Clarkstown supervisor Alex Gromack.

Rockland County has preserved more than 600 acres of open space since it initiated a $30-million open space program in 2000. More than $16.3 million has been spent to date on 10 parcels of green space, including 50 acres atop the Clausland Mountain in Orangetown; a 35-acre wetland area near the Minisceongo Creek in Haverstraw and the 94-acre Orchards of Concklin in Ramapo.