ADOPTED - JUNE 10, 2003

Agenda Item No. 7

Introduced by the County Services and Finance Committees of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROPOSAL

RESOLUTION #03-148

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners believes agriculture and farmland is important to Ingham County by generating economic benefits, providing locally grown food, providing environmental benefits, wildlife habitat, open space and is essential to the quality of life of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, development pressure is increasing the possibility that farmland and resources critical to agriculture and the community in Ingham County could continue to be lost, impacting the quality of life of current and future generations; and

WHEREAS, PA 262 of 2000 provides state matching funds to counties to protect farmland through voluntary purchase of a development rights program, with the eligibility for state matching funds contingent on counties having an updated comprehensive land use plan, or included within a regional plan that includes a plan for agricultural preservation, and an adopted local farmland preservation program; and

WHEREAS, growth and development are both essential and inevitable, it also must be balanced with the protection of our farmland and natural resources to maintain a long-term business environment for our economically important agricultural sector and the quality of life for the citizens of Ingham County; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has received numerous letters of support from various interested organizations, including several local townships, the Tri-County Planning Commission and the Ingham County Farm Bureau, for the development of a farmland preservation program in Ingham County.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners supports the efforts of the Ingham County Farmland Preservation workgroup to establish a Purchase of Development Rights workgroup consisting of a citizen-based, grass-roots partnership of individuals and organizations including non-exclusive representation from agriculture, conservation, local county government, local townships, business, economic development and real estate interests, to:

• Research and prepare a draft proposal for a farmland preservation program so that Ingham County could be in a position to take advantage of state matching funds through PA262 and available federal matching funds. It is recommended that the workgroup include a mission statement, guidelines for administrative procedures, selection criteria to rank voluntary applications from landowners, easement restrictions, appraisal methods and possible use of installment purchase agreements in the draft proposal. The Ingham County Farmland Preservation workgroup will receive technical assistance from Midwest Land Legacies.



• Identify potential funding sources to meet local matching fund requirements for state and federal grants that might be used in acquiring development rights or agricultural conservation easements. Such potential funding options will be included in the draft proposal.

ADOPTED - JUNE 10, 2003

Agenda Item No. 7

RESOLUTION #03-148

• Develop a strategy to facilitate grass-roots input and feedback into the draft proposal, including but not limited to, the use of focus groups with landowners, local county government officials, local township officials, and other stakeholders.



• Design the above referenced strategy to maximize broad-based involvement from all interests and affected parties at each stage of the process for developing the draft proposal.



• Provide, at the appropriate time, a report of the draft proposal to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners for further discussion and consideration.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that for the purposes of this resolution, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners is not obligated to provide any financial resources to support the development of the draft proposal or its future execution.

COUNTY SERVICES: Yeas: Celentino, Holman, De Leon, Schor, Nevin

Nays: None Absent: Severino Approved 6/3/03

FINANCE: Yeas: Grebner, Swope, Dedden, Hertel, Thomas

Nays: None Absent: Minter Approved 6/4/03