Public Hearings - Agricultural Land Preservation District

A public hearing was held today at 6:15 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the voluntary creation of Agricultural Land Preservation Districts for the following:

Owings & Sons Business Trust, 124.87 acre farm located on Crumpton Road, 1st Election District

John & Andrea Rigdon, 322.18 acre farm located on River Road, 1st Election District

Duck Puddle Ventures, LLC, 180.58 acre and 282 acre farms located on Duck Puddle Road, 2nd Election District

Allan J. Hill & H. Jay Hill, 304.08 acre farm located on Kennedyville Road, 2nd Election District

Allan J. Hill, H. Jay Hill & Beverly H. Jones, 159.24 acre farm located on Browntown Road, 2nd Election District

Charles E. Nau, Jr., etals, 285.70 acre farm located on Augustine Herman Highway, 2nd Election District

McGuire Bros., Inc., 62.61 acre farm located on Lambs Meadow Road, 2nd Election District

Kurhessen Trust, 219.48 acre farm located on Flatland Road, 6th Election District

Breck & Susan Debnam, 143.45 acre farm located on Great Oak Landing Road, 6th Election District

County Commissioners, Ronald H. Fithian, William W. Pickrum and William A. Short were in attendance as well as Susanne Hayman, County Administrator.

Notice of the public hearing was read into the record by Commissioner Fithian.

Elizabeth H. Morris, Chairman, Planning Commission provided a letter advising that the Commission had reviewed the 10 applications from landowners who wish to establish agricultural land preservation districts on their farms. The Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the districts, finding that the applications are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and meet the criteria for the creation of an agricultural land preservation district. Also included was a letter from William Cooper, Chairman of the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board stating the Board unanimously voted to recommend approval of the applications.

Carla Gerber, Community Planner, Planning, Housing and Zoning reviewed the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) guidelines and stated all the properties submitted were previous MALPF districts.

Commissioner Fithian asked if anyone in the audience wished to comment on the applications. No one from the audience wished to comment. On motion by Commissioner Pickrum and seconded by Commissioner Short, the Commissioners unanimously approved the original ten applications. Additional applications will be reviewed at the public hearing on June 26, 2012 per the public notice previously read by Commissioner Fithian. Ms. Gerber further stated that a few late applications will be forthcoming.

The hearing was taped for reference and on a motion by Commissioner Short and seconded by Commissioner Pickrum, the Commissioners unanimously agreed to adjourn the public hearing at 6:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,



Sondra M. Blackiston, Clerk

Approved:
Ronald H. Fithian, President
The County Commissioners
of Kent County, Maryland