Increase flexibility for…

Increase flexibility for creating lots via severance of agriculturally zoned lands.

While it is imperative that we preserve as much agriculturally zoned land as possible there are numerous situations where agriculturally zoned lands cannot and will not be productive for agricultural uses and local planning authorities simply will not permit residential uses on any lands zoned for agriculture. I own 16 acres of land zoned for agriculture. It is within an estate settlement area totally surrounded by small one and two-acre residential lots. The county, however, does not identify it as a settlement area and refuses to entertain any discussion to allow a simple severance application of ten lots all fronting on existing roads.

I have a friend whose parents live on a hundred-acre productive farm that has a small 1 - 2 acre parcel that was used to extract gravel more than 60 years ago. It is non-productive farmland but is zoned agriculture and cannot be severed for a residential lot. The newly created lot would front on a seldom-used gravel road.

I have yet to speak to anyone, including the local planning authorities, that does not agree that both examples should be allowed to be used as rural estate lots.

Please give planning authorities a mandate to use common sense to permit lands that, despite their agricultural zoning, should be rezoned for rural residential uses.