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Nov. - Dec. 2000 Page 5
<br />farmland preservation report
<br />etcetera ...
<br />i
<br />New funding, dwelling rule change in Ma.
<br />Boston, MA —The Massachusetts legislature appropriated
<br />$10 million to the Agricultural Restriction Program that will
<br />"keep us going a year to a year and a half," said Rich Hub-
<br />bard, assistant commissioner of state Department of Food
<br />and Agriculture. The money is added to a recent $2 million
<br />authorization.
<br />The program, now in its 23rd year, has protected about
<br />4,000 acres through bond funding and federal grants.
<br />According to Hubbard, the program is in the midst of a rule
<br />change that could grant one building right to existing pre-
<br />served farms "as long as the program gets a first right of
<br />refusal to the property. They could sell the lot for whatever
<br />they want, but we would buy the land at agricultural value,
<br />and all would be approved on a case by case basis."
<br />Currently, new program enrollments are allowed no
<br />residual development rights.
<br />The rule change must go to public hearing and to the
<br />legislature for approval.
<br />Rich Hubbard, 617 626 -1704.
<br />Delaware elects conservationists to top
<br />posts
<br />Dover, DE— While they lacked funding measures for land
<br />protection, Delaware voters chose known conservationists
<br />to be their governor and U.S. Senator.
<br />Governor -elect Ruth Ann Minner was supported
<br />strongly by open space and environmental interests she has
<br />carried with her since her days in the state senate when she
<br />initiated the first open space acquisition in the state,
<br />according to Michael McGrath of the Delaware Agricultural
<br />Lands Preservation Foundation.
<br />"She devised and brokered a share of the open space
<br />tax to go to farmland, and she is on record as supporting
<br />farmland preservation," he said. "Her campaign record
<br />shows an inclination to join together open space and
<br />farmland protection."
<br />The Delaware farmland protection program has been
<br />searching for a more permanent funding source.
<br />"People in farmland preservation are very pleased with
<br />the outcome of the election," McGrath said.
<br />In addition to electing a conservationist as governor,
<br />Delaware sent its former conservation- minded governor to
<br />the U.S. Senate. Tom Carper, U.S. Senator- elect, "will
<br />benefit us ... he will go in with the idea [farmland preserva-
<br />tion] was a winner in Delaware, that its something you can
<br />look good with."
<br />Mike McGrath, 302 739 -4811.
<br />Local ballots, continued from page 4
<br />ures on the November ballot, five failed, and of
<br />those five, three called for tax increases to fund
<br />purchase of development rights in Teller, Grand
<br />and Weld Counties. The Weld and Teller ballots
<br />mentioned farmland specifically.
<br />In South Carolina's Beaufort County, voters
<br />approved a $40 million bond issue for open space
<br />acquisition and purchase of development rights
<br />on farmland, but just north in Charleston County,
<br />full of tomato growers and other produce farms, a
<br />sales tax initiative for open space and farmland
<br />failed by just 800 votes, according to planner Dan
<br />Pennick. "I'm sure it will reappear on the ballot.
<br />It's encouraging that it did come that close."
<br />In Wake County, North Carolina, voters
<br />passed a $15 million bond for open space and
<br />farmland, but it may be too little and way too late
<br />in the fast - growing Research Triangle area where
<br />land values are skyrocketing. No specific amount
<br />is designated for farmland protection — it is just
<br />"in the mix," said Rick Bailey, director of the
<br />Wake County Soil and Water Conservation Dis-
<br />trict.
<br />In Michigan's Washtenaw County, voters
<br />approved a dedicated property tax increase for
<br />"acquisition of environmentally - valuable areas, to
<br />preserve wildlife habitat, water quality and rec-
<br />reation." Estimated revenue over 10 years is $25
<br />million. Two years ago, Washtenaw County was a
<br />battleground leading up to election day when
<br />development interests succeeded in crushing an
<br />initiative that would have established a purchase
<br />of development rights program for farmland and
<br />a 0.4 mill property tax increase to fund it.
<br />In Maryland, Baltimore County voters ap-
<br />proved $10 million in bond issues for open space
<br />and $2 million for farmland preservation.
<br />In Montana, where a farmland preservation
<br />program started last year with just $1 million, one
<br />county, Gallatin, approved a $10 million bond
<br />issue for land preservation.
<br />In Wisconsin, which has no state purchase of
<br />development rights program, Sheboygan County
<br />voters passed an "advisory measure" to establish
<br />please turn to page 6
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