Agenda 06-03-2025; 8-a - Minutes

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34 1 Mike Ortosky said there are 60 days where the new owner can apply to keep that present 2 use. 3 Chair Bedford said she has seen that in practice where the state and county collect it at 4 closing. 5 Commissioner McKee said he used to have a farm that was sold. He said the new owners 6 farmed some of it and sold some of it off. He said that by reducing acreage, the farm was no 7 longer allowed to go back to being a farm. He said the three year back taxes were over $6,000 8 and they pay taxes at full rate on the farm. 9 Commissioner Greene reminded everyone that the county put a transfer tax on the ballot 10 in 2008 and it was defeated. She asked about the preservation trust fund because she wondered 11 if it would be a viable source of funding. She said items that require funding would not be possible 12 in the economic climate. She said that it is great that the plan has momentum. She said it would 13 be good to try a pilot program to reduce the present use value to 1 acre. She said for creating 14 transition plans for farmers, it would be great for local law firms to volunteer some hours to help. 15 She noted that many farmers said in the plan that changing climate was a concern. She said that 16 the most common plan for farms is to transition the land to family members for continued farming. 17 She said there is a clear interest from farmers in conservation easements. She said there was a 18 lot of interest in solar farming. 19 Mike Ortosky said that Breeze Farm is seeking funding for solar farming. 20 Commissioner Greene said it was also interesting to read the comments about on-farm 21 housing. She said that the comments made her feel hopeful about the future of farming. 22 Commissioner Carter thanked the Agricultural Preservation Board for the plan. She asked 23 if CIP funding for Lands Legacy and conservation easements was included in the plan. She asked 24 if those funds are in the debt service model. 25 Chair Bedford said she would also like to see Lands Legacy versus the conservation 26 easements. 27 David Stancil, DEAPR Director, said the Lands Legacy Fund and conservation easement 28 fund are set up differently. He said that on the advice of bond counsel; it was set up as two 29 separate funds. He said the conservation easement funding is alternative financing funds that 30 they have been able to stretch by getting grants. He said that actually began because it was not 31 fully fee simple purchase, it had to be two different projects. 32 Commissioner Carter clarified that the not fee simple purchase applies to the Land Legacy 33 component. 34 David Stancil said that it is the other way around. He said that conservation easements 35 are less than fee simple and you are basically acquiring development rights, and the owner retains 36 ownership of the lands. He said that you can use Lands Legacy Funds for conservation easement 37 purchases but not the other way around. 38 Chair Bedford said that the county funds $500,000 a year in the CIP for Lands Legacy. 39 said that funds from the 2001 bond should have already been spent so they will need to see a 40 report. 41 David Stancil said those funds have already been converted into alternative financing. 42 Travis Myren said those funds would have been converted well before his time so he will 43 need to do some research, but they have seven years if it was a general obligation bond. He said 44 all of this has been authorized and would be part of the debt analysis. He said the CIP 45 recommends taking a break from authorizing additional money until those balances can be spent 46 down. 47 Chair Bedford said at the CIP work session she would like more information on how they 48 are able to use those funds. She said she would like to know if those funds can be used for farm 49 preservation. 50 David Stancil said the Lands Legacy criteria will be helpful and they will get that to them.