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Farmland Information Center - Tech ... Cost of Community Services Studies <br />http:,itarm.fic.niu.eclw tic- taitats- cocs.ntml <br />shortfall created by residential demand for public services. This is true even 40 <br />when the land is assessed at its current, agricultural use. <br />Communities need reliable information to help them see the full picture of their <br />land uses. COCS studies are an inexpensive way to evaluate the net <br />contribution of farm and open lands. They can help local leaders discard the <br />notion that natural resources must be converted to other uses to ensure fiscal <br />stability. They also dispel the myths that residential development leads to <br />lower taxes, that differential assessment programs give landowners an unfair <br />tax break, and that farmland is just waiting around f or development. <br />One type of land use is not intrinsically better than another, and COCS studies <br />do not judge the overall public good or long -term merits of any land use or <br />taxing structure. Communities must balance goals such as maintaining <br />affordable housing, creating j obs and conserving land and resources. With <br />good planning, these goals can complement rather than compete with each <br />other. COCS studies give communities another tool to make decisions about <br />their futures. <br />The Farmland Information Center is a public /private partnership between American Farmland Trust and the <br />USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service that provides technical information about farmland <br />protection. <br />American Farmland Trust works to stop the loss of productive farmland and to promote farming practices that <br />lead to a healthy environment. <br />American Faand Trust <br />SUMMARY OF COSTS OF COMMUNITY SERVICES STUDIES, <br />REVENUE -TO- EXPENDITURE <br />RATIOS IN DOLLARS <br />State/Town <br />Residential <br />Combined <br />Farm /Forest <br />Source <br />including <br />Commercial <br />Open Land <br />farm <br />& Industrial <br />house <br />Connecticut <br />Durham <br />1 : 1.07 <br />1 : 0.27 <br />1 : 0.23 <br />Southern New England Forest <br />Consortium, 1995 <br />Farmington <br />1 :1.33 <br />1 : 0.32 <br />1 :0.31 <br />Southern New England Forest <br />Consortium, 1995 <br />Hebron <br />1 : 1.06 <br />1 : 0.47 <br />1 :0.43 <br />American Farmland Trust, 1986 <br />Litchfield <br />1 :1.11 <br />1 : 0.34 <br />1 :0.34 <br />Southern New England Forest <br />Consortium, 1995 <br />Pomfret <br />1 : 1.06 <br />1 : 0.27 <br />1 :0.86 <br />Southern New England Forest <br />Consortium, 1995 <br />Maine <br />Bethel <br />1:1.29 <br />1 : 0.425 <br />1 : 0.06 <br />Thomas Good, Antioch New England <br />Graduate School, 1994 <br />Maryland <br />Carroll County <br />1 : 1.15 <br />1: 0.48 <br />1 :0.45 <br />Carroll County Dept. of Management & <br />Budget, 1994 <br />of 5 5/11/98 3:12 PM <br />