ERC directs staff to draft removal of farm-consolidation permitted use in farmland-preservation ordinance

County zoning staff told the Environmental Resources Committee March 31 that farm consolidation provisions — which have allowed owners to split pre-2014 farm residences (2–4.99 acres) from farm parcels — should be removed as a permitted use in the farmland preservation ordinance.

Garrett (CPZ staff) summarized a town survey: 14 of 18 towns responded; seven favored removing farm consolidation as a permitted use, five wanted clarifying language that prohibits relocations after 01/01/2014, two took no position and four did not respond. Staff said the Department of Agriculture told the county either removing or clarifying the provision would align with state statute. Garrett said permitting consolidations complicates tracking and enforcement when consolidated parcels are later sold to owners not engaged in farming.

Committee members questioned staff workload and agreed that removing the permitted use would reduce staff time spent tracking problematic consolidations. One supervisor said the recommendation "just time for staff, which equals money." The committee directed staff to draft ordinance language to remove farm consolidation as a permitted use and return the language for review.

Why it matters: removing the permitted use would change the county’s land-division process for formerly agricultural parcels and require rezoning if owners later seek non-farm uses; staff said the change would better align county practice with state program rules and simplify long-term administration.

Next steps: CPZ staff will draft ordinance language to remove farm consolidation as a permitted use in the farmland-preservation district and return to ERC for review.