ADOPTED - DECEMBER 9, 2008

Ingham County Agricultural Preservation Program

Selection Criteria for Protection of Farmland

A System for Ranking Applications

Criteria are divided into four main sections

Agricultural Characteristics (72 points)

Development Pressure (36 points)

Additional Ag Protection Efforts (40 points)

Other Criteria (30 points)

AGRICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS (72 POINTS)

1) Agricultural Productivity Maximum Points: 20

Soil Classification Groupings according to USDA-NRCS based on yields (in bushels).

Group 1 – Group 2 (potential 130+ bu corn yields and 50+ bu soybean yields) 20 points

Group 3 – Group 4 (potential 110-129 bu corn yields and 40-49 bu soybean yields) 15 points

Group 5 – Group 6 (potential 90-109 bu corn yields and 30-39 bu soybean yields) 10 points

Group 7 – Group 8 (potential 70-89 bu corn yields and 20-29 bu soybean yields) 5 points

Group 9 – Group 10 (potential 50-69 bu corn yields and 10-19 bu soybean yields) 0 points

Example: 70% of parcel has Group 2 soils x 20 pts = 14 points

30% of parcel has Group 3 soils x 15 pts = 4.5 points

Total points = 18.5

2) Size of Parcel (s) Maximum Points: 25

Points for parcels between 40 and 200 acres are calculated by multiplying 0.125 times the parcel size. Any parcel above 200 acres receives 25 points. Parcels that are 0-39.99 acres receive 0 points.

Example: Parcel size is 150 acres; 150 x 0.125 = 18.75

Example: Parcel is 85 acres; 85 x 0.125 = 10.63

Example: Parcel is 350 acres; 25 points, the maximum possible

Example: Parcel is 32 acres; (0 points for parcel less than 39.99 acres)

3) Additional Agricultural Income Maximum Points: 5

Points will be awarded to operations that demonstrate a commitment to “value-added” agriculture either through animal related production or through production of a specialty crop (crops other than corn, wheat, soybeans), or both, with total sales over $10,000.00 annually.

Example: Parcel is integral to farm operation that produces a specialty crop, which grosses over $15,000 annually. Total Points = 5 points

4) Enrollment in the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Act (PA 116) Maximum Points: 10

If only a percentage of the parcel is enrolled, then the percentage is multiplied by the maximum number of points (10) to result in a point’s value.

Enrolled in PA 116 10 points

Not enrolled in PA 116 0 points

Example: Two adjacent 50 acre parcels are submitted as part of the same application by the same landowner. Only one 50 acre parcel is currently enrolled (50%). Total Points = 5 points

5) Proximity to Existing Livestock Farms Maximum Points: 5

A livestock operation for this purpose means a farm with more than 50 animal units (EPA definition; 1000 lbs = 1 unit)

Parcel is contiguous to an existing livestock operation 5 points

Parcel is located between 0.5 miles and 1 mile of an existing livestock operation 3 points

Parcel is located further than 1 mile from an existing livestock operation 0 points

*Contiguous for this section means no other parcel is located in between the parcels. Parcels separated only by a road are considered contiguous.

6) Amount of undeveloped land in the surrounding area Maximum Points: 7

A circle with a 1 mile radius and with a centroid (center point) generated by computer is used to calculate the points in this section.

75 % or more of the surrounding area is undeveloped land 7 points

50% or more but less than 75% of the surrounding area is undeveloped land 5 points

25% or more but less than 50% of the surrounding area is undeveloped land 2 points

Less than 25% of the surrounding area is undeveloped land 0 points

DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE (36 POINTS)

7) Proximity to Existing Public Sanitary Sewer or Water, or both Maximum Points: 10

Linear (straight line) distance to existing, usable public sanitary sewer, or water services, or both, will result in the following scoring options:

Less than one-half (1/2) mile from sewer or water 0 points

One-half (1/2) mile or more but less than 1 mile 5 points

One (1) mile or more but less than 2 miles 10 points

Two (2) miles or more but less than 5 miles 8 points

More than 5 miles 6 points

Example: Parcel is located 3 miles from existing sewer lines. Total points = 8 points.

8) Development Activity in Township Maximum Points: 3

Townships will be in one of four ranked groups of four townships each. The top four townships in terms of number of building permits issued by a township will be placed in the highest ranked group. The remaining three groups of townships will be formed similarly.

Parcel located in the group of townships with the highest number of new building permits 3 points

Parcel located in the group of townships with the second highest number of new building permits 2 points

Parcel located in the group of townships with the third highest number of new building permits 1 point

Parcel located in the group of townships with the lowest number of new building permits 0 points

Parcel located in a city or village 0 points

Example: Parcel is located within a township that falls into the group of townships which has the second largest tier of new building permits. Total points = 2 points.

9) Proximity to designated population centers (as defined by Tri-County Planning; The Growth Project) in Ingham County Maximum Points: 8

Points are awarded based on linear distance from nearest farm boundary to designated population centers (as defined by Tri-County Planning; The Growth Project)

Farm boundary is 2 miles from population center 8 points

Farm boundary is 3 miles from population center 6 points

Farm boundary is 4 miles from population center 4 points

Farm boundary is 5 miles from population center 2 points

Farm boundary is more than 5 miles from population center 0 points

Example: Farm is located 2 miles from “designated population center. Total points= 8 points

10) Road Frontage (paved or gravel) Maximum Points: 15

Emphasis is placed on parcels with greater linear distance of road frontage, placing the farmland under a greater threat of fragmented development. Frontage can be gravel, paved, or both and must be adjacent to the subject parcel. Points are calculated using a multiplier factor of 0.0284 with a maximum of 15 points for 5280 feet (1 mile). Linear feet are divided by 10 then multiplied by 0.0284.

Road frontage of 5280 feet (1 mile) or more (5280/10 = 528 x 0.0284 = 15.0) 15 points

Road frontage of 2640 feet (1/2 mile) (2640/10 = 264 x 0.0284 = 7.5) 7.5 points

Road frontage of 1320 feet (1/4 mile) (1320/10 = 132 x 0.0284 = 3.75) 3.75 points

Example: Parcel has 1 mile of road frontage. Total points = 15 points

ADDITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION EFFORTS (40 POINTS)

11) Location to other protected property Maximum Points: 20

Parcel is near other private land which has been permanently protected from development through a conservation easement or deed restriction (development rights may have been purchased, transferred or donated). Linear distance is used from nearest farm boundary.

Parcel is adjacent to protected land 20 points

Parcel is not adjacent but within 1/2 mile of protected land 15 points

Parcel is not adjacent but within 1 mile of protected land 10 points

Parcel is not adjacent but within 2 miles of protected land 5 points

Example: Parcel is adjacent to property under a permanent conservation easement = 20 points

12) Agricultural District Zoning Maximum Points: 10

Additional points are given to a parcel that is in a designated agricultural district.

Exclusive Agricultural District A-1; (Restricts residential development) 10 points

General Agricultural District A-2; (Rural residential zoning) 3 points

Non-Agricultural District 0 points

Example: Parcel has been designated as an exclusive agricultural district, A-1 (maximum density 1 unit per 20 acres) under current zoning. Total Points = 10 points

13) Block Applications Maximum Points: 10

Emphasis is placed on applications which consist of one or more landowners who create a 50 acre or more, block of contiguous farmland. Contiguous blocks of farmland have a greater potential for creating a long-term business environment for agriculture. Parcels applying in a block application must be contiguous (touching but may be separated by a road). Each applicant in the block application will receive points for this section.

One or more landowners apply together to create 1000 or more contiguous acres 10 points

One or more landowners apply together to create 750 to 999 contiguous acres 8 points

One or more landowners apply together to create 500 to 749 contiguous acres 6 points

One or more landowners apply together to create 0 to 500 contiguous acres 0 points

Example: Four landowners, with varying parcel acreage, submit a block-application of over 800 contiguous acres. (Each of the four landowners would receive 8 points for this section)

Note: If a parcel in a block application is preserved, the remaining landowners will continue to receive full points for this section of the scoring criteria in future cycles, provided they still wish to participate in the block application.

OTHER CRITERIA (30 POINTS)

14) Additional points based on matching funds Maximum Points: 20

0-24% donation 0 points

25% or greater donation multiply by 0.4 (max. 20 points)

Example 1: Landowner is willing to donate 25% of the development rights value

(25 x 0.4 = 10) Total Points = 10 points

Example 2: Landowner is willing to donate 50% of the development rights value.

(50 x 0.4 = 20) Total Points = 20 points

(The State Agriculture Preservation Fund Board states that a 25% local match is a priority for allocating matching funds to programs.) Donating a percentage of the easement value is considered a charitable gift donation by the IRS. Seek financial consultation from a CPA or professional advisor.

15) Additional Agricultural Characteristics Maximum Points: 5

Additional agricultural characteristics are USDA certified organic farms, or Centennial farms.

Parcel has additional agricultural features 5 points

Parcel does not have additional agricultural features 0 points

16) Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) Maximum Points: 5

Participation in the MAEAP demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship above and beyond a conservation plan. The State Agriculture Preservation Board has identified the MAEAP as a priority to providing matching funds. Farms verified under the MAEAP must show verification to receive points.

Farm is MAEAP verified 5 points

Farm is not MAEAP verified 0 points

TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE – 178

See preliminary information below

Applicants note: Landowners that accept Federal, State or Local Matching Funds to protect their farmland may be selected for the program before landowners that do not accept such funds regardless of their relative ranking based on the above “Selection Criteria for Farmland”.