The Haines homestead is located in a prime recreational area in the mountains near Helena, Montana. As the 320 acres comprising the homestead increased in value, concern grew among the present owners that future pressure from developers might result in the the sale and subdivision of the property for vacation homes and cabins. To that end, Don Petersen proposed, and all owners agreed, that a conservation easement be placed on the property to prevent it from ever being developed. This was accomplished in 1999 with a conservation easement on the property donated to the Montana Land Reliance. This prevents in perpetuity, subdivision for residential or commercial purposes, construction of non-agricultural buildings, non-agricultural commercial activities, dumping of non-compostable or toxic waste, or surface mining. The rustic nature of the homestead will now be preserved for future generations.

In 2000 another concern arose. Although all owners are descendants of Howard and Marie Haines, it is possible, through inheritance or divorce, that part ownership could at some point fall outside the Haines family. Consultation with an attorney also revealed that under the ownership structure at the time, any single owner could conceivably force the sale of the property against the wishes of all the other owners. It was decided to look into the feasibility of forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC) that would hold title to the homestead, and the present owners would own shares in the company. Only direct descendants of Howard and Marie Haines would be allowed to own shares in the company. The structure of the proposed LLC went through several revisions and the company finally became a reality in February, 2004, when the Articles of Organization were filed with the Montana Secretary of State.