Agenda - 05-19-1998 - 9a - Laserfiche WebLink

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I a1 72 Historical Perspective on the Work of the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board May 8, 1998 Page Three In October 1995, the ADAB conducted a Farmland Preservation Workshop. Representatives from the American Farmland Trust and the Lancaster County (PA) Farmland Protection Board were invited to meet . with the farm community and general population to identify successful methods of farmland preservation. During the last quarter of 1995, the ADAB organized an Agriculture Subcommittee. They produced a segment on agriculture for the update of the Strategic Plan for Economic Development in Orange County, prepared by the Orange County Economic Development Commission. In early 1996, ADAB held a series of staff training workshops involving Planning, Soil Conservation, and Agricultural Extension personnel in the use of voluntary conservation easements as a means of farmland preservation through estate planning. Also during this time, two public forums entitled Keeping Your Land in Family Hands were presented for the benefit of rural landowners. Over 150 persons attended the sessions. Several attendees indicated this was their first exposure to the idea of conservation easements. One participant, Jean Earnhardt, eventually donated a 120 -acre easement to the Triangle Land Conservancy as a result of the information she received at the forum. During late 1995 -early 1996, the ADAB closely studied a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Study prepared by a Planning Intern as part of program. requirements for a Masters Degree in City & Regional Planning. They considered a number of scenarios for a market - driven TDR system that would be equitable for rural landholders. During the Spring and Summer of 1996, the ADAB scrutinized its Purchase of Development Rights Program (the "Green Book ") including the LESA system for evaluating farmland and evaluating alternative revenue sources. The Board reviewed a number of successful farmland preservation programs in other parts of the country, including Lancaster County, PA and Montgomery County, MD. To reflect their forward - thinking approach to farmland preservation, they adopted the acronym PACE, for Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements. A potential revenue source for a PACE program was considered: money received from payment of deferred property taxes when land is removed from the use -value program. It was determined that the County has received on average, since 1991, $200,000 annually from deferred tax payments. The ADAB first proposed this idea to the Board of Commissioners in late 1996, in their goals statement for the 1997- 1998 fiscal year. During 1997, the ADAB developed a survey of agricultural status and trends, which was distributed to the farming community in early 1998. Results of the survey will be released later this month. The Board also considered the feasibility of establishing an Orange County land trust as well as a Preservation Division within the Planning Department. In their proposed goals for 1998 -99, presented to the Board of Commissioners on February 14; the ADAB again proposed funding for the PACE program. They also repeated their call for establishing a transfer of development rights program. The ADAB also proposed a number of revisions to the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program to create more incentives for farmers to 'participate, including additional tax breaks for preserving farmland. /[•i7