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Preserving
Wilderness and Farm Land
Common Agricultural District Questions
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Butterfly Hollow Farm ____ The Path Leading Us Here ____ How The Farm Got Its Name ____ Restoring the Old Farmhouse ____ Where The Beefalo Roam ____ Saddle Up The Horses ____ Saving Wilderness and Farm Land ____ Farm Journals ____ Sharing The Farm ____ Guest Book ____ Site Map ____ |
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Can
individual ownerships withdraw from a district? ANSWER: Farmland may be added or withdrawn at the discretion of the perspective landowners upon written notice to the Soil Conservation District. ____________________________ Once a district has been formed does it have to maintain all the original landowners or land parcels to keep its status as a district? ANSWER: No. The district will only cease to exist if the total designated acreage drops below 20 acres. ____________________________ Who Designates an Agricultural District? ANSWER: The local Soil Conservation Board of Supervisors. Designation is based upon information contained in an application or petition submitted by the interested ownership's to the SCD. ____________________________ Do you receive a certificate or some form of official notice of participation? ANSWER: Yes. Each participating landowner will receive certificates of recognition from the SCD. ____________________________ Who provides the road signs? ANSWER: Currently roads signs are left to the landowners discretion and expense. The state is working on an official road sign that will be available soon through the SCD office. ____________________________ How will this affect zoning? ANSWER: The SCD will notify the respective county commissioner and local or regional planning or zoning body by sending them a copy of the petition. But since Smith county currently has no Agricultural zoning, this will most like not have much affect, but perhaps it will increase the awareness of agriculture to these officials. ____________________________ Will being in a district affect our right to sell or develop? ANSWER: No. All your landowner rights remain unchanged. No changes are made to the property's land deed. ____________________________ How does an Agricultural District protect farmland? ANSWER: The certificate of being in a district really does little to physically protect your land. But it is the first step. An organization of landowners in a general region is necessary before any permanent land protection can be made. One farmer with 200 acres is less likely to have a voice much less receive available funds for placing a conservation easement on their property. But a district made up of several landowners and a thousand acres sends a message. . ____________________________ Conservation Easements are currently the only official instrument that can alter the land deed by placing restrictions on the development potential of the land. These restrictions ( called development rights) can be transferred to a local non-profit environmental Land Trust, official government body, or national land trust or a combination of them all. They will in turn manage these rights for the life of the property. This doesn't give the holder the right to develop, sell or to even enter the property. But the holder of the these restrictions must uphold them and will defend them in court if necessary. The value of the development rights is determined by taking the full development potential value of the property and subtracting the true agricultural value. This gives the value of the easement. These easements can be donated for tax purposes or sold, which can give the current land owners the income they need NOW to improve farming operations. In addition this helps to lower the value of the property for tax purposes and helps in estate taxes when transferring thefarm to next generation. And best of all, this easement has created a statement about its caretakers. A statement that becomes law of the land and stays with the life of the property, being passed on from landowner to landowner....forever!
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info@butterflyhollow.com
Butterfly
Hollow
Gordonsville,
TN 38563