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Commissioners propose farmland-preservation fund using PUV rollback revenues
Summary
The board agreed to create a farmland-preservation fund seeded with present-use-value rollback revenues beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and set a planning retreat for Feb. 19 to develop program details and match options for state grants.
Commissioners discussed setting aside unbudgeted present-use-value (PUV) rollback revenues to seed a farmland-preservation fund to protect agricultural land amid county growth.
Speaker (3) outlined the idea: PUV rollback payments—revenues that arise when property leaves agricultural classifications—are unpredictable but could be pooled to support local farmland-protection efforts, match state and federal grant programs, and cover costs grants typically will not, such as appraisals and surveys. Commissioner Allen (speaker 9) argued the county is losing farmland—citing a cited 11% decline in farmland from 2017 to 2022—and moved to create the fund effective Jan. 1, 2026. Commissioners approved proceeding and set a planning retreat for Feb. 19 to develop program parameters.
Speakers said the fund would enable flexible local investments, leverage matching funds, and cover administrative costs that grant programs typically exclude. No specific project allocations were approved at this meeting; staff will return with program design options and budget implications.
