GENESEE COUNTY GENESEE COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND FARMLAND PROTECTION BOARD September 19, 2016 Meeting Genesee County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan The following represents the received at the September 19, 2016 meeting at the Genesee County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board. Each Board member in attendance provided their perspective: The increase in development pressures is an issue that is beginning to create problems. Seeing more Sale” signs. “For Development value of land is rising. Seeing more road frontage development. Good farmland should not be purchased/utilized for development (why was the new yogurt plant built on good farmland?) Need a balance of Development and Agriculture. Waterline extensions, new Districts, etc. Need to update the map in the plan that illustrates utilities. Need to include approved expansions and those in the planning process. Alabama, Oakfield, Byron, Darien, Elba, others? are extending public water or planning on extending waterlines/ expanding districts. Farms support Smart Growth, but waterlines could help with their operations. Need to look at water capacity planning (include farms in analysis), rate structures (can farms get different rates) and other Smart Growth Strategies. Lateral restrictions do not stop future growth. Houses are with lateral restrictions in place, especially on road frontage lots. Also, if the wells fail after homes are built, they are allowed to tie into the waterline (public health issues.) The word gets out. May want to look at some sort of PDR Program that relates to lateral restrictions. If the farmer wants water, need to provide deed restrictions limiting/not allowing water for the purposes of residential development. See Town of Leroy Plan for ways to handle some of these issues. Roads and bridges are very important to agriculture. They are utilized by the farmers to access their fields, bring products to market and bring supplies to the farms. Many roads are in need of repair and maintenance programs are falling behind. Farmers need internet access; it needs to improve. Dairies are doing very well; been an increase in 8.2% in milk production. Continue to need more lands (availability a problem.) Market for the milk has had its problems. Need to help insure that these markets exist. Can the yogurt plant that is currently not being utilized be converted for milk processing? Can be a volatile market. Farmers are progressive in Genesee County.
GENESEE COUNTY GENESEE COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND FARMLAND PROTECTION BOARD September 19, 2016 Meeting Genesee County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan The following represents the received at the September 19, 2016 meeting at the Genesee County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board. Each Board member in attendance provided their perspective: The increase in development pressures is an issue that is beginning to create problems. Seeing more “For Sale” signs. Development value of land is rising. Seeing more road frontage development. Good farmland should not be purchased/utilized for development (why was the new yogurt plant built on good farmland?) Need a balance of Development and Agriculture. Waterline extensions, new Districts, etc. Need to update the map in the plan that illustrates utilities. Need to include approved expansions and those in the planning process. Alabama, Oakfield, Byron, Darien, Elba, others? are extending public water or planning on extending waterlines/ expanding districts. Farms support Smart Growth, but waterlines could help with their operations. Need to look at water capacity planning (include farms in analysis), rate structures (can farms get different rates) and other Smart Growth Strategies. Lateral restrictions do not stop future growth. Houses are with lateral restrictions in place, especially on road frontage lots. Also, if the wells fail after homes are built, they are allowed to tie into the waterline (public health issues.) The word gets out. May want to look at some sort of PDR Program that relates to lateral restrictions. If the farmer wants water, need to provide deed restrictions limiting/not allowing water for the purposes of residential development. See Town of Leroy Plan for ways to handle some of these issues. Roads and bridges are very important to agriculture. They are utilized by the farmers to access their fields, bring products to market and bring supplies to the farms. Many roads are in need of repair and maintenance programs are falling behind. Farmers need internet access; it needs to improve. Dairies are doing very well; been an increase in 8.2% in milk production. Continue to need more lands (availability a problem.) Market for the milk has had its problems. Need to help insure that these markets exist. Can the yogurt plant that is currently not being utilized be converted for milk processing? Can be a volatile market. Farmers are progressive in Genesee County.
160919_Genesee_County_Farmland_Protection_Plan.docx