AGRICULTURE COMMISSION April 21, 20l2 - 7:00PM Colchester Town Hall Room 3
MEETING AGENDA
1. Call to order
2. Additions to the Agenda
3. Approve Minutes of the April 16, 2012 Agriculture Commission Meeting
4. Citizens comments
5. Chair report
6. Old business:
a. Discussion and possible action on draft of Colchester Farmland Preservation Ranking Criteria.
b. Discussion and possible action on the Slembeck Farm.
c. Quick review of tabled action items:
(1) Bylaws draft completed by Dave; Chair to forward to members for feedback.
(2) Liz to contact towns of Guilford, Thompson and Sterling about their procedures for handling farmers' or citizens' concerns and complaints.
(3) Change in 490A acreage requirements.
(4) Outstanding recommendations from 2007 Farmland Viability Study Top Seven List (note: (1) Right-to-farm act and (2) Agriculture Commission are already in place):
i. For zoning and tax purposes, broaden right to farm policy to allow farms by right to engage in business activities that are not traditional farming but are related to or consistent with farming.
ii. Investigate the tax rates for the 490 program with the goal of adhering to the current CT Dept of Agriculture guidelines for valuations of all farmland in town.
iii. Authorize additional tax exemptions that the state allows for farm machinery (beyond the original $100,000 exemptions), farm buildings and extra property tax abatements on certain types of farms.
iv. Involve the Colchester school system in farm awareness programs as a means of stemming future problems as well as educate local students about the role of Colchester's farms in food production and their community.
v. Make it easier for farmers to obtain and maintain (with a sense of security) the agricultural tax status 490A and 490.
7. New business
a. Any other new business deemed necessary . 8. Adjournment
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