Landowners can now apply to join Schenectady County’s agricultural district if interested during the annual 30-day review period ending on Dec. 30 this year.
The county is required under state law to establish the review period to give landowners an opportunity to request inclusion in the district. The County Legislature established the period from Dec. 1 to Dec. 30 as the annual enrollment period. The goal of the district is to maintain a viable agricultural industry within the county. There are currently 323 parcels in the agricultural district, which totals 18,738 acres and approximately 14 percent of the county’s total land.
Schenectady County is committed to our agricultural industry and encourage local farmers and growers to request inclusion in the agricultural district, said Susan Savage, chair of the Schenectady County Legislature, in a statement.
When the review period is completed, the county’s Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board review applications. The County Legislature will hold a public hearing on the proposed inclusions and the Legislature will vote to include additional parcels into the district.
Requests for inclusion into the district must be submitted by the deadline to the Schenectady County Department of Economic Development and Planning located at 107 Nott Terrace, Suite 303, Schenectady, New York 12308. Requests must have a description of the land including the principal farm enterprise being undertaken, telephone number and a tax map identification number for each parcel to be included.
A worksheet is available to guide applicants in applying on the county’s website at www.schenectadycounty.com under the Economic Development and Planning/Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. Applicants may also contact the Department of Economic Development and Planning at 386-2225.“