Special Projects
Preble Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan
Introduction
In 2007 the Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott discussed applying to New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for funding to develop a Joint Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan (AFPP) focusing on protecting farmland in the Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott. It was discovered that only two towns could be on a single application. At that point the one application was made for Homer and Scott and a second application was made for Preble. The two applications were awarded funding in 2008. The purpose of the plan is for the community to document the importance of local farms, challenges facing local farmers and develop strategies that the three towns can implement including drafting language revisions to each town’s zoning and subdivision ordinances.
This AFPP is a report on the state of agriculture in the Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott today and a template for the future of agriculture for the three towns. It provides a snapshot of various economic data as well as data on land and soil resources, regulatory issues and trends in agriculture and land use.
The AFPP contains a number of recommendations for action by the three towns both regionally as three towns and as individual towns when appropriate. In addition there are recommendations that others in the community can undertake to promote the long-term viability of agriculture in the three town region.
Agriculture is closely connected with the history of the Towns of Homer, Preble and Scott. Local municipal support for agriculture has often been informal as the Town Board and other boards and committees have farmer representation on them. The AFPP will now formalize each town’s support of agriculture both in the town and in the three town region from this point forward.
- Goals (Draft) updated 08-26-2011
- Zoning Recommendations (Draft)
Proposed Timeline for Completion (2011):
| February: | Committee review and revise draft plan (second revision) |
| March: | Take the revised draft (third revision) plan to town officials for their awareness and comment prior to public meeting |
| April: | Hold public meeting for comment on the fourth revision (at least one meeting per town) |
| May: | Fifth revision of Plan to Cortland Co AFPB and NYSDAM for comment |
| June: | Present Final Plan to Towns for formal adoption |
Other Resources: