Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan - Town of Liberty

Draft Town of Liberty Agriculture and
Farmland Protection Plan
preserved if a conservation subdivision is developed).
Other tools that could be considered by Liberty include:
a. Use Average Lot Density: Do not require a minimum
lot size, but instead rely on an average density to be
attained over the entire parcel being developed.
Minimum lot sizes can be as small as allowed by the
Department of Health for septic systems or even
smaller if sewers were provided for.
b. Reduce Density Using a Sliding Scale: This technique
sets a density of development based on the size of
the parcel to be divided. See sidebar, this page.
c. Reduce Density by Using Net Acreage: This removes
lands on a parcel having certain characteristics such
as wetlands, open water, very steep slopes, or prime
farmlands from being included in the calculation for
how many new residential units the parcel is eligible
for.
Sliding scale zoning limits the
number of times that a parent
parcel (a parcel existing on the
date of ordinance adoption)
can be split, based on its size,
Sliding scale zoning allows
some non-farm residential
development without special
land use or other reviews.
Sliding scale zoning can be
useful in agricultural areas
where there are significant
development pressures and
land speculation. The use of
sliding scale zoning is most
effective in areas where a wide
range of parcel sizes exist and
non-farm
residential
development has already
begun to occur.
d. Reduce Density but give it back with Incentives: For
conventional subdivision development with no open
space protections, reduce the allowable density of
development compared to existing regulations. Offer
a density bonus if the applicant proposes a clustered
subdivision, participates in a Transfer of
Development Rights program, or otherwise protects
agricultural lands in Town. A density bonus process
that offer incentives for development could be added
to zoning. Incentives could be offered for use of
conservation easements, purchase and preservation
of farmland off-site, use of conservation
subdivisions, use of clustered subdivisions, or a
participation in a transfer of development rights
program, for example.
e. Mandate use of cluster/conservation subdivision for
all subdivisions over 5 lots or at a minimum in
appropriate areas of Town, or authorize the Planning
Board to require such subdivisions for large
developments if the environment or agriculture can
be better protected than with a conventional
subdivision. The criteria for this would be outlined in
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