Agricultural District Archive

2015 Through 2016 Agricultural District Number 1 Review and Modification

As required by New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, Wayne County is conducting the review of the Agricultural District Number 1 until January 31, 2016. All parcels that are currently in the Agricultural District will remain in the District unless the landowner submits a signed form requesting the parcel be removed from the District. The 2016 Open enrollment period for enrolling land in the Ag District is also included in this process.

• In September 2015 the County Agricultural Development Board recommended that the District be continued as an important land use tool for farm operators and that the District be modified according to any written requests received.
• As part of the review, the Department of Economic Development and Planning will conduct an informational meeting at 7 pm on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, and will also mail a letter and agricultural district review worksheet to approximately 10,600 landowners within the County. The meeting will be held at:
  Cornell Cooperative Extension
  1581 Route 88 N
  Newark, NY 14513
• Informational Hearing Presentation Notes (PDF) for December 1 Informational meeting
• Documents related to the Review of Agricultural District Number 1
• After January 31, staff will prepare a report based on agricultural district review worksheets, gathered data and public input and the Wayne County Agricultural Development Board will make a final recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
• The Wayne County Board of Supervisors will then hold a public hearing regarding the agricultural district review on March 8, 2016, at 7 pm at 26 Church Street, Lyons. After receiving the report and recommendations of the Wayne County Agricultural Development Board and the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors will make a final decision on whether the district should be continued, terminated, or modified.
  
  

Agricultural districts were established to help protect and promote a farmer's opportunity to operate a successful business. Many people own property that was included in an Agricultural District as part of a farm when the districts were first formed beginning in the 1970s. There are currently about 10,500 parcels and 293,000 acres in the Agricultural District. When a landowner subdivides a parcel of land that is in the Agricultural District, all parcels remain in the District until they are removed by their current owner during an eight-year review. Since this is a voluntary program, you have an opportunity to remove your property from the District by marking and returning the Add-Drop form by January 31, 2016.

Parcels that are currently in Agricultural District Number 1