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genesee county agricultural district

Genesee County land owners given to Feb. 24 for inclusion of agricultural land

By Press Release

Press Release:

From Jan. 26 to Feb. 24 a land owner may submit a request to include entire parcels of predominantly viable agricultural land within a certified New York State Agricultural District.

NYS Agricultural and Markets Law requires that the County Legislature designate an annual thirty-day time period within which a land owner may submit a request for inclusion of property within a certified agricultural district. 

This annual time occurs in Genesee County from Jan. 26 to Feb. 24 and is exclusively designed to incorporate property that is predominantly viable agricultural land – defined by Genesee County as lands that are composed of at least 51% prime farmland soils and/or are contiguous to the main farm operation.

Applications for the inclusion of land are available at the Genesee County Department of Planning in County Building No. 2 (3837 W Main Street Rd, Batavia) or can be downloaded or printed by visiting the website:

http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/planning/agricultural_farmland_protection_board.php#annualenrollment

The application must be completed and signed by the landowner and returned to the Genesee County Department of Planning by 5 p.m. on Feb. 24. Due to the language of the NYS Agricultural and Markets Law, no applications can be accepted before Jan. 26.

PLEASE NOTE: Requesting enrollment of property during this thirty-day time period is not a guarantee that your property will be added to an existing Agricultural District, and it will not automatically qualify your property for a reduced agricultural property tax assessment. For information on obtaining a reduced agricultural property tax assessment, you must contact your local assessor. Please remember, that the Taxable Status Date is March 1.

Public meetings scheduled for the Smart Growth Plan 2016 Review

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Genesee County Department of Planning will present and gather comments on the draft revisions to the Smart Growth Plan as part of its 2016 triennial review in a series of public meetings. There will be three meetings, all beginning at 7 p.m., as follows:

Monday, Oct. 24 -- Oakfield Community and Government Center 3219 Drake Street Road, Oakfield

Tuesday, Oct. 25 -- ​Genesee County Building 2 – Large Conference Room, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia

Wednesday, Oct. 26 -- Le Roy Town Hall, 48 Main St., Le Roy

On May 9, 2001 the Genesee County Legislature adopted the Smart Growth Plan. The Plan is a mitigating action of potential significant environmental impacts of the Genesee County Water Supply Project upon the viability of agriculture in Genesee County.

Smart Growth Development Areas throughout the county were designated based on their access to transportation, minimal conflict with County Agricultural districts and State regulated wetlands, feasibility of extending public water service, and the potential for extending public infrastructure to support development.

The Plan requires that it be reviewed every three years by the Legislature and that recommendations for its revision be made at that time.

During this review, the towns of Alabama, Darien, Le Roy and Oakfield proposed changes to the Development Area Boundaries. The meetings will focus on the modifications being recommended to the County Legislature by the Planning Department, County Planning Board, County Agricultural & Farmland Protection Board, and County Water Resources Agency.

For individuals with disabilities, requests for reasonable accommodations should be made with at least five days’ notice. Call The Genesee County Planning Department at (585) 815-7901 or email at Felipe.Oltramari@co.genesee.ny.us.

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