Agricultural Preservation Work Group Meeting Minutes

(*Amended February 21, 2007)

February 7, 2007

2. Meeting Agenda:

I. Welcome and Introductions

II. Discussion (Meeting Schedule and Rules)

Tom Dernoga, Work Group Chair, welcomed the members providing introductory remarks, a proposed schedule, and discussed “Meeting Rules”, copies of which were distributed to the Work Group.

Upon discussion concerning representation of all interests on the Work Group, Chair Dernoga discussed how the Council worked together to form a group that had representation across numerous interests and locations throughout the County.  Chair Dernoga urged all members to update constituencies that they represented on the nature of the discussions of the Work Group meetings.

III. Overview of Current State and County Agricultural Preservation Programs:

A. Elizabeth Weaver provided an overview of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) program which began in 1977 and was administered by M-NCPPC until 2003/2004.  Ms. Weaver noted that the objective of the program is to protect productive land for food and fiber production. 

• William Moore expressed concern that there are only two farms totaling approximately 256 acres in Prince George’s County that have been preserved through the MALPF program and that the County has been left out of the program for 30 years.
• Ms. Weaver explained that based on the program objective only those properties that meet certain soil criteria are considered.  Mr. Yates Clagett, staff of the Soil Conservation District, noted that soils on the Eastern shore are more productive, but noted that a new soils survey is currently being prepared for Prince George’s County.
• The Counties with the most participation are Caroline and Carroll.  Currently, there are six Prince George’s County applications pending for inclusion in the MALPF program. 

B. Tom Weaver provided an overview of the Rural Legacy Program established in 1997 as a grant program.  This program requires a minimum of 50 acres for consideration unless the property is adjacent to other protected land.  As of February 6, 2007, there are two applications under consideration for farms in Prince George’s County.  All of the Rural Legacy funds received by the County to date were used for parkland acquisition.  Rural Legacy experienced a programmatic shift favoring easement acquisitions over fee simple purchases, and as a result the County has not been receiving Rural Legacy funds; and M-NCPPC decided to cease applying for Rural Legacy funds because it does not want to hold easements, only fee simple land.

• Mr. Moore expressed concern that there has been no Rural Legacy funding for the County since 2002. 

C. The discussion of the County’s Purchase of Development Rights program was postponed until the next scheduled meeting.

IV. Questions/Discussion

A question was raised regarding the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board and its functions.  Mr. Clagett indicated that he does not think that this Board has been meeting on a regular basis.

*The Soil Conservation District has recommended Stephanie DeVille-Eugene to the County Executive for nomination to the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board.  Ms. DeVille-Eugene commented that she will inform the Advisory Board of the Agricultural Preservation Work Group.

Mike Martin inquired about the possibility of using bonds for agricultural preservation.  This funding source would require voter referendum and State/County legislation.

* The following is a list of requests noted during the meeting.  Staff will be working on these requests to provide information at future meetings.

1. State Certification of County PDR Program

• How does it work?
• Where is the County in this process?

2. MALPF Program

• Annual Reports for the past several years
• Explanation of how money is allocated for the program
  (transfer tax, County match)

3. Rural Legacy Program

• County awards for the last 3 to 5 years and the number of easements acquired in each County
• Copy of Rural Legacy area application submitted by
M-NCPPC

4. Presentation on Program Open Space program by M-NCPPC

5. Next Meeting: February 21, 2007, at 3:00 p.m.

6. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.