County planners propose two changes to Farmland Preservation Program ordinance; public hearing draws no speakers

Planning consultant Jennifer Bomba told the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 3 that the county’s Agricultural Preservation Board is proposing two targeted amendments to the Calhoun County Farmland Preservation Program ordinance.

Bomba said the first change would modify membership rules to allow a township representative to serve on the Agricultural Preservation Board rather than requiring an elected township official. She said the intent is to recruit a local planning commission representative who can serve as a stronger liaison to townships and improve the board’s ability to capture local planning commission support.

The second proposed change concerns how the Agricultural Preservation Board establishes the value of development rights. Under the current ordinance the board must use a points-based appraisal system. Bomba said the board lacks an adequate base of comparable transactions to make the points system accurate at this stage and therefore proposes adding the option to use a state-certified appraiser until the points system can be supported by sufficient base values.

Comr. Strowbridge asked whether the county would hire an appraiser from the property’s township or select from a state-certified list; Bomba said the Michigan Department of Agriculture maintains a list of state-certified appraisers and the board would likely choose someone familiar with local agriculture, noting that the Agricultural Preservation Board expects to seek local donations and township support to cover initial appraisal costs. When asked who would pay the appraiser, Bomba said the Agricultural Preservation Board would be responsible: "Yes, absolutely," she said.

The board formally opened the public hearing at 7:13 p.m. (motion by Comr. Bolger, support Comr. Strowbridge) and recorded no public comments; the hearing was closed at 7:14 p.m. (motion by Comr. Solis, support Comr. Segal).