Are easements a well-proven idea?
Preservation easements have been used for decades to protect significant properties. Historic preservation easements further the county’s efforts to preserve historically significant properties by creating a system of oversight, regulation and enforcement that can supplement local government preservation statutes. Nonprofit preservation organizations and the State of Maryland have active historic preservation easement programs. Federal tax legislation was passed by Congress in 1980 to encourage owners of qualifying historic properties to ensure that these structures are preserved and maintained in an architecturally and historically appropriate manner. The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program (Public Law 96-541) encourages owners to make a donation of a preservation easement in exchange for federal IRS income tax deductions. A preservation easement is viewed by the IRS as a non-cash charitable deduction.

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1. What is a preservation easement?
2. Who is required to grant an easement to the M-NCPPC?
3. What are M-NCPPC’s responsibilities?
4. How long does an easement last?
5. Why grant a preservation easement ?
6. What are the benefits to the general public in the award of historic property grants to individual owners?
7. How does an easement work?
8. What changes are allowed to my historic property?
9. Does the preservation easement take precedence over the county preservation ordinance?
10. Are we talking about the entire house and property?
11. Will the easement cover interior features as well as the exterior of the property?
12. How is the easement applicable if I use the grant award to purchase a historic property?
13. What is the financial value of the easement and how is it determined?
14. What document does a pro perty owner file to obtain the federal tax benefit?
15. What are my out-of-pocket costs in donating an easement?
16. What are the legal and real estate implications?
17. Are easements a well-proven idea?
18. What are the benefits of granting an easement?
19. Do typical non-cash charitable contributions rules apply to the donation of a preservation easement?
20. Must an easement require some type of public access?
21. What are the basic tax code requirements for an easement?