Genesee County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan

Genesee County: Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan
KEY ISSUES
The ACDS, Inc staff members have identified several common issues that accompany
agricultural and farmland protection planning. The Board should be aware of these as
they proceed:
Public Buy-In: Many communities feel that the public education / public support
portion of implementing these plans are full of conflict and therefore distasteful.
However, public buy-in is a critical success factor and imperative for generating the
support and ultimately the revenue sources necessary to offer many of the programs
outlined in this document.
The Equity Argument: Nearly all communities considering revision to land-use
ordinances, implementation of purchase of development rights programs, water-sewer
access, and other land-use issues go through the equity value debate. This is a legitimate
debate that in most cases is based as much in fear as it is in fact. Discussion of the
following issues may be helpful:
‣ Most land-use changes stabilize and/or enhance equity value, not de-value it.
‣ Equity value is at its least stable where there are few or no land-use restrictions.
‣ Purchase of Development Rights programs are voluntary. They do not force
farmers into lowering the value of their “retirement equity.”
‣ Purchase of Development Rights programs are very consistent with the property
rights movement because they allow a farmer/landowner more options to recover
the intrinsic value of the land (agricultural/resource value) while at the same time
enjoying the proceeds of development by selling the development rights
bestowed by law.
‣ Agriculture, despite many peoples’ view to the contrary, is an industrial use.
Most zoning restricts the co-mingling of residential and industrial uses because
of the natural conflict of uses. This is also appropriate in agricultural areas.
‣ Farming pays more in revenue than it uses in services and is a critical part of
balancing any political jurisdiction’s fiscal position.
Policy Integration: Agricultural programming is most effective when it is integrated
into broader policy discussions and plans. Therefore, it is important for the Agricultural
and Farmland Protection Plan to become an integral part of the County’s overall planning
initiative.
Once again, thank you for the opportunity to participate in this planning project.
Agricultural & Community Development Services, Inc, Columbia, MD 8