ADOPTED - APRIL 13, 2010

                                                                                                                                                   Agenda Item No. 15

 

Introduced by the County Services Committee of the:

 

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

RESOLUTION APPROVING SELECTION CRITERIA (SCORING SYSTEM) FOR RANKING LANDOWNER APPLICATIONS TO THE INGHAM COUNTY FARMLAND AND OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING THE INGHAM COUNTY FARMLAND AND OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION BOARD TO PROCEED WITH THE 2010 FARMLAND PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS APPLICATION CYCLE

 

RESOLUTION #10-100

 

WHEREAS, Ingham County desires to provide for the effective long-term protection and preservation of farmland in Ingham County from the pressure of increasing residential and commercial development; and

 

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners adopted the Ingham County Farmland Purchase of Development Rights Ordinance in July 2004; and


WHEREAS, the Ingham County Farmland Purchase of Development Rights Ordinance authorized the establishment of the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board to oversee the Farmland Preservation Program; and

 

WHEREAS, Ingham County voters passed a millage of .14 mils in 2008 to fund purchases of agricultural conservation easements through the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program; and

 

WHEREAS, in the course of implementing the Ingham County Purchase of Development Rights Ordinance, the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board has established Selection Criteria for ranking landowner applications to the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program; and

 

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Purchase of Development Rights Ordinance requires that the Selection Criteria be approved by the Ingham County Board of Commissioners before each application cycle.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners approves the attached Selection Criteria developed by the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board as set forth in the Purchase of Development Rights Ordinance passed July 27, 2004.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners authorizes the Ingham County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board to proceed with the 2010 Farmland Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) application cycle.

 

COUNTY SERVICES:  Yeas:  Copedge, Schor, Celentino, Grebner, McGrain

     Nays:  None     Absent:  Vickers      Approved  4/06/10

 

 


 

Selection Criteria for Protection of Farmland

2010 Application Cycle

 

Text Box: Tier I Criteria are divided into four main sections:
Agricultural Characteristics 		62 points
Development Pressure		38 points
Additional Ag Protection Efforts	38 points
Other Criteria				10 points		
Tier I Total Points			148 points	

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


AGRICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS (62 POINTS)

 

1)      Agricultural Productivity – Prime and Unique Soils                                     Maximum Points: 20

Prime and Unique Soils

Prime under all circumstances                                                                                                          20 points

Prime if adequately drained                                                                                                 15 points

Not prime or unique                                                                                                                          0 points

Example:         70% of parcel is prime under all circumstances (.70 x  20 pts) = 14 points

                        30% of parcel is prime if adequately drained (.30 x15 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 have “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)      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.

 

5)      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 (38 POINTS)

 

6)      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.

 

7)      Proximity to designated population centers (as defined by Tri-County Planning; The Growth Project) in Ingham County           (get date of project)                                                    Maximum Points: 20

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                                                                                  20 points

Farm boundary is 3 miles from population center                                                                                   18 points

Farm boundary is 4 miles from population center                                                                                   16 points

Farm boundary is 5 miles from population center                                                                                   14 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=  20 points

 

8)      Road Frontage (paved or gravel)                                                                              Maximum Points: 8

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. 

Road frontage of 5280 feet (1 mile) or more                                                                                          8  points

Road frontage of 2640 feet (1/2 mile) to 5279 (just under 1 mile)                                                           6  points

Road frontage of 1320 feet (1/4 mile) to 2639 (just under ½ mile)                                                          4 points

Road frontage less than ¼ mile                                                                                                   0 points          

Example:         Parcel has 1 mile of road frontage.  Total points = 8 points

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION EFFORTS (38 POINTS)

 

9)      Location to 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 purchased by Ingham County = 20 points

 

10)  Agricultural District Zoning                                                                           Maximum Points: 3

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

Exclusive Agricultural District A-1; (Restricts residential development)                                         3 points

General Agricultural District A-2; (Rural residential zoning)                                                          1 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 = 3 points

 

11)  Block Applications                                                                                                     Maximum Points: 15

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                                    15 points

One or more landowners apply together to create 750 to 999 contiguous acres                            10 points

One or more landowners apply together to create 500 to 749 contiguous acres                             8 points

One or more landowners apply together to create 300 to 499 contiguous acres                             6 points          

Contiguous acreage of 299 acres or less                                                                                                   0 points

Example:         Four landowners, with varying parcel acreage, submit a block-application of about 800 contiguous acres.  (Each of the four landowners would receive 10 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 (10 POINTS)

12)  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

 

 

 

13)  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

 

 

 

TIER I TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 148

 

 

Text Box: TIER II SELECTION CRITERIUM – Maximum 55 points
THIS SECTION PERTAINS ONLY TO THE TOP 10 SCORING FARMS
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


1.)    Donation                                                                                                                     Maximum points: 55

 After the first round of scoring is complete, the top ten ranked farms will be invited to donate a portion of the easement purchase price back to Ingham County.  The amount of donation will determine the overall ranking and the farms that will be selected for protection. Donations of 0-24% receive 5 points.  Donations of 25-50% receive a point for every percent, with a maximum of up to 55 points.  Tier II points will be added to Tier I points for a Grand Total (Tier I + Tier II = Grand Total). Grand Total points will be used to determine the farms selected for protection. This option allows applicants in the bottom tier of the top 10 applicants, an opportunity to ensure a spot in that year’s selection.  It also allows the highest ranking application an opportunity to secure their seat in the top five.

Examples                                             

                                                            Donation of 0-24%  = 5 points

                                                            Donation of 25%     =  25 points

                                                            Donation of 40%     =  40 points

                                                            Donation of 50%     =  50 points

           

 

Note:   Donating part of the value of a conservation easement to a qualified organization such as Ingham County is considered a charitable gift donation by the Internal Revenue Service.  Seek advice from a certified public accountant or other professional advisor on the effect of such a gift donation on your tax situation.

 

 

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”.