Bill
HB 6283
Authorize Burrillville to form the Burrillville Land Trust Conservancy, a town public instrumentality that can acquire and manage land for conservation, open space, and public use.
Status & Sponsors
- Introduced: April 30, 2025 (Representatives Newberry and Place, primary sponsors)
- Committee activity: Scheduled hearing 05/02/2025; committee held for further study 05/06/2025; committee recommended passage 06/16/2025.
- Final actions: House passed 06/18/2025; Senate concurrence 06/20/2025; transmitted to Governor 06/23/2025; effective without Governor’s signature 07/01/2025.
Purpose
- Authorize the Town Council of Burrillville to create the Burrillville Land Trust Conservancy (the “Trust Conservancy”), a municipal public instrumentality to acquire, hold, manage, and steward land and land interests in the town for conservation, agriculture, recreation, water-resource protection, habitat preservation, scenic and cultural preservation, and related public uses.
Key provisions
- Establishment and legal status: The Trust Conservancy is a body politic and corporate and a public instrumentality authorized by town ordinance.
- Authorized holdings and uses: Can acquire fee or lesser interests in open space, agricultural lands, littoral property, wellfields and aquifer recharge areas, freshwater marshes and adjoining uplands, wildlife habitat, land providing access or views of lakes/ponds, trails (bicycling/hiking), public recreation areas, and agricultural land. Except for property acquired for public recreation, holdings are to be maintained primarily as open space or agricultural uses.
- Mission: Preserve the town’s rural character and natural heritage through acquisition and conservation easements, protect wetlands/ground and surface water/farmland/habitats/historic/cultural/scenic resources, and provide public access, recreation, education, and research opportunities where practicable.
- Governance and transparency: Management, administration, and organization must be established by Town Council ordinance. Trustees (referred to as conservancy members) must be Burrillville electors; elected officials may not serve as trustees. Trustees must keep records, file an annual report with the Town Council within 60 days after June 30 (i.e., by late August), and hold meetings open to the public under state open-meeting law.
- Powers: Acquire property by purchase or gift; accept grants, loans, and donations (including federal/state funds); employ professional services with Town Council approval; manage land to allow public use consistent with conservation purposes; convey interests to nonprofits provided use remains consistent; and dispose of property deemed unsuitable (with limits on property held as charitable trusts or acquired for public use).
- Finance and fiscal rules: Ordinance must set accounting and expenditure procedures. Fiscal year is July 1–June 30. Town treasurer shall prudently invest available Trust assets and income accrues to the Trust’s funds. On dissolution, remaining funds and properties vest in the Town to continue open-space management.
- Tax status: The Trust Conservancy, its revenues, and property used to further its public purposes are exempt from taxation, betterments, and special assessments.
- Miscellaneous: Does not affect the Town’s eligibility for state land-acquisition programs. Contains a severability clause.
Who is affected
- Town of Burrillville (municipal government responsibilities and assets), Burrillville residents and electors (eligibility to serve as trustees), landowners and potential donors, local conservation and recreation users, nonprofit conservation organizations, and developers (land-use implications). Financially, the town treasurer manages Trust assets; exemptions may affect tax assessments or property-related revenues.
Implementation & Next steps
- The Town Council must adopt implementing ordinances specifying management, fiscal procedures, trustee selection/terms, and rules governing Trust operations. Public hearings and Town Council approvals are required for Trust rules and any modifications.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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