Farmland Preservation as Smart Growth

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Farmland Preservation as Smart Growth

• Prof. Tom Daniels
• Dept. of City and Regional Planning
• University of Pennsylvania

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Whats the Problem?

• Sprawl Loss of Open Space, Automobile-Dependence,
  Air and Water Pollution, new infrastructure is
  expensive
• Struggling Cities Losing Population and Economic
  Vitality to the Suburbs
• Farm Economy Mid-size family farms are being
  squeezed out by commodity prices that have not
  kept pace with inflation.

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Ohio Has Converted 7 Million Acres of Farmland
Since 1950

• !

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Why Does Protecting/Preserving Farmland Matter?

• Local economy
• Aesthetics
• Quality of Life
• Cost of Community Services
• Growth Management

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Five Potential Solutions

• Design
• Regulation
• Financial Incentives
• Infrastructure Investment
• Prayer

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Marylands Smart Growth Legislation (1997)

• Priority Funding Areas
• Live Near Your Work Program
• Job Creation Tax Credit
• Brownfields Redevelopment
• Rural Legacy Program
• Smart Codes
• Keep State Office Buildings within PFAs

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Solutions You Dont have in Ohio

• Agricultural Zoning (Protection)
• Urban Growth Boundaries (Protection)
• Strong Funding for Farmland Preservation
• Review of Subdivisions of More Than 5 Acres
  just changed!
• A Vision
• (Ohio has lost a lot of manufacturing jobs in the
  last several years Can Land Use Planning Help
  with Economic Development?)

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Challenges Ohio Faces

• Ohio is zoned for sprawl
• Annexation battles (?)
• No clear limits on sewer and water extensions
• Will there be a farmland preservation program in
  5 years? Dedicated funding source?
• Competition for local property tax base SPRAWL

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The Farming Situation

• Metro Areas produce ¼ of US food
• Farmers and Ranchers Own Most of the Privately
  Held Land in America
• Average Age of Farmers and Ranchers is 55
• US Population is 296 million,
• Projected Population in 2050 is 400 million
• The Farm Economy

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Challenges Farmers Face

• Profitability- Be the low cost producer or find
  niche market
• Passing the Farm to the Next Generation
• Resisting the Temptation to sell land for
  development

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Goals of Farmland Preservation Programs

• Maintain a critical mass of farms and farmland
• Maintain affordable land prices for farming
• Reliability over time
• Reasonable cost in comparison to benefits
• Sustained public and political support

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The Package

• The Leading Farmland Preservation Programs Have
  an Agricultural Industry Worth Preserving and
  Employ 3 Coordinated Techniques
• 1. Effective Agricultural Zoning
• 2. Urban Growth Boundaries/Urban
• Service Areas
• 3. Purchase of Development Rights

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Agricultural Districts

• Farm Preservation Lite
• There is nothing in an agricultural district that
  could not be included in a good ag zoning
  ordinance
• Voluntary state agencies must recognize
• Limits on Eminent Domain
• No nuisance ordinances that would restrict normal
  farming practices
• Eligibility to sell development rights to state
  government

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Farmland Preservation Strategy

• Create large contiguous blocks of permanently
  preserved farmland
• Preserve farmland fairly close to development to
  create boundaries

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How Much Does It Cost?

• Depends on the appraisal
• Properties located cloer to sewer and water lines
  and with long road frontage have a higher
  easement value
• PDR programs pay for development potential, not
  the quality of the resource
• If you have to pay more than 5,000 an acre on
  average for easements, you will need a huge
  amount of money
• Lancaster County ave. about 2,500 an _at_

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PDR Funding in Lancaster County

• Local County Bonds (increase in property taxes)
  and General Appropriations
• State Matching Funds Cigarette Tax Revenues and
  Special Appropriations
• Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program
  (985 million in 2002 Farm Bill)

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Benefits to the Community

• Preserved farmland is still ratable
• Better control over the pace and location of
  development
• Preservation of Open Space (raises non-farm
  property values)
• Reduction in increase of cost of community
  services

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Obstacles to a successful Farmland Preservation
Program

• The creation of Islands of preservation
• Excessive cost over 5,000 per acre on average
• Shortage of Funds
• Confusing farmland preservation with open space
  preservation
• Lack of a strategy

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• Balance
• Cooperation
• Commitment