901-2-05 Farmland ranking system.  

  • Text Box: ACTION: Final Text Box: DATE: 12/28/2012 8:08 AM

     

     

     

    901-2-05                      Farmland ranking system.

     

     

     

    (A)  Prior to accepting applications for matching grants, the director shall notify and make available, through various farm organizations, charitable organizations, and political subdivisions: (1) the procedure for applying for matching grants; (2) the application; and (3) the farmland preservation ranking system.

     

    (B)      The farmland preservation ranking system shall be comprised of a two tier processone ranking system. For each criterion in the one hundred point first tierranking system, a weighted score range is indicated. Prior to each application funding round the director, with the advice of the farmland preservation advisory board, or if a certified local sponsor is participating, the certified local sponsor shall determine the specific value within this range for each ranking criterion as indicated in paragraph (C) of this rule. Applications approved by the director will then be submitted for tier phase two evaluation.

     

    (C)   Tier one evaluationFarmland preservation ranking system (one hundred points total as calculated from the ranges set forth below)

     

    (1)    Soil types and agricultural productivity; rangeRange: fifteen to thirty points. Emphasis for matching grants is placed on soils which are classified as prime or officially designated unique or locally important.

     

    (2)   Protected areas. Range: fifteen to thirty points. Emphasis for matching grants is placed on land that is adjacent to or in close proximity, asin a formula approved during the certification process by the director or otherwise mathematically defined by the director, to agricultural land or other land that is conducive to agriculture, whether such land is in the process of being protected or is already permanently protected such that a buffer from development exists between land proposed for agricultural easement and areas that have been developed or likely will be developed for purposes other than agriculture. These protected areas include, but are not limited to, the following:

     

    (a)     Agricultural, natural resource, open space, or forested land that has already been permanently protected from development through agricultural or conservation easements;

     

    (b)   Flood pools and other normally undevelopable waterbodies.;

     

    (c)    Parks, open spaces, forests, nature preserves and other natural areas that are not protected from development through conservation easements but have permanent deed restrictions or other restrictions which the director determines could protect agricultural land.;

     

     

    (d)    Publicly owned agricultural research lands that the director determines could protect agricultural land.; and,

    (e)      Airports, military bases, or other developed areas that the director determines could be appropriately buffered by agricultural land.

    (3)     Use of best management practices including approved conservation plans; rangeRange: five to ten points. Emphasis for matching grants may be given to, but is not limited to, the landowner who certification from the natural resource conservation service, soil and water conservation district, or other generally accepted qualified organization, as determined by the director, stating that the operation of the application property includes best management practices utilizing appropriate conservation standards, has a forestry management plan approved by the Ohio department of natural resources or qualified organization, as determined by the director, if applicable, and has a history of substantial compliance with federal and state agricultural laws.

    (4)    Development pressure. Range fifteen to thirty points. Emphasis for matching grants is placed on farmland faced with potential development pressure that is likely to affect the ability of the farm operator to conduct agricultural activities or cause conversion of the agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. Development factors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

    (a)   Roadway distance from any border of the property to sanitary sewer and water;

    (b)   Roadway distance to the nearest freeway interchanges;

    (c)   Application property public roadway frontage;;

    (d)   Development pressure as measured by activity such as an increase in lot splits, well or septic permits, traffic counts, or other indicators determined by the director to accurately measure such pressure.

    (5)    A local comprehensive land use plan which identifies areas for agricultural protection. Range fifteen to thirty points. Emphasis for matching grants may be placed on, but is not limited to, application properties which are located within a designated agricultural area of a political subdivision's long range plan and where the political subdivision has adopted specific action to protect the area, such as zoning where agriculture is the predominant land use, a commitment   not   to   extend   utilities,   or   initiate   any   non-agricultural

    development activity.

    (6)    Other criteria as determined approved by the director. Range fifteen to thirty points. These criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:

    (a)   Application property location relative to a metropolitan statistical area;

    (b)   Application property enrollment in the agricultural security area program;

    (c)   Historic or archaeological designation as determined by the director.;

    (d)  Century farm designation by the director.; and,

    (e)       Application   property   with   local   match   higher   than   the   required twenty-five per cent minimum, through cash or donation.

    (D)Tier two evaluation (fifty points total)

    (1) The farmland preservation advisory board shall recommend to the director which of the applications should be awarded matching grants. The farmland preservation advisory board shall base their recommendations on the applicants' response to questions which may address but not be limited to, the following categories: farm succession plan, showcase farm, farm estate plan and provisions to promote local farmland in the community or other criteria deemed necessary by the director. Applicants shall address such categories through a narrative on space provided on the application form.

    (2) Applicants may provide photos, maps, or other visual aids not to exceed three eight and a half by eleven inch pages.

    (E)(D) For each funding round, the director may adopt some or all of the following guidelines:

    (1)   A limit on the number of application properties, acres, or dollar amount funded per county;

    (2)   A limit on the number of application properties per legal entitygrantor;

    (3) A limit on the dollar amount funded per certified local sponsor;

    (3)(4) A maximum dollar amount per acre of matching grant funds;

    (4)(5) A maximum dollar amount of matching grant funds per landowner shall not exceed one million dollars, as required by section 901.22 of the Revised Code.

    (5)(6) A consideration of regional balance, as defined by paragraph (BBEE) in rule 901-2-01 of the Administrative Code.

    Effective:

    01/07/2013

    R.C. 119.032 review dates:

    10/18/2015

     

    CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

     

    Certification

     

     

    12/28/2012

     

    Date

     

     

    Promulgated Under:

     

    119.03

    Statutory Authority:

    901.22

    Rule Amplifies:

    901.22, 901.23

    Prior Effective Dates:

    02/01/02, 02/21/05, 03/21/2006

Document Information

Effective Date:
1/7/2013
File Date:
2012-12-28
Last Day in Effect:
2013-01-07
Rule File:
901-2-05_PH_FF_A_RU_20121228_0808.pdf
Related Chapter/Rule NO.: (1)
Ill. Adm. Code 901-2-05. Farmland ranking system