Is the land still privately owned after the development easement is sold?
Yes. The land remains privately owned and can be sold to anyone after it is preserved subject to the easement restrictions. The land remains on the tax rolls and does not become open to the public at any time. How much money is offered for the easement? The value of the easement is the difference between the appraised “market” value of the farm and the value of the farm deed-restricted under this program. For example, if a farm is worth $8,000 per acre to a developer, and, based on comparable sales, the farm has been determined to be valued at $3,000 per acre after it is deed-restricted, the value of the development easement would be $5,000 per acre. The value is determined by the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) based upon two independent appraisal reports. It is a competitive process? Nearly 100 PDR applications are reviewed every year by the County. There is currently funding available for approximately 20-30% of the applications. Applications are ranked and the top sc
