COUNTY AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
       MINUTES OF MEETING MARCH 29, 2010   

MEMBERS PRESENT:          James Hazlett         Vice-Chairman
                                                Leslie Rea
                                                Sue Ann Wheeler
                                                Barbara Ernst         Div. Dir. Open Space &
                                                                                Farmland Pres.    

CALL TO ORDER:       Vice-Chairman Hazlett called the meeting to order at approximately 7:50 P.M.

FIRST ITEM:          Mr. Rea made a motion and it was seconded by Mrs. Wheeler to approve the minutes of the January 25, 2010 meeting.

SECOND ITEM:         Mrs. Ernst reviewed the correspondence which included a copy of the SADC’s response to Cumberland County’s experience with a subdivision request. Copies of the SADC minutes were also attached which  demonstrated that they had acted as expeditiously and fairly as possible.

                     She reviewed the SADC’s request and her response for additional data on her PIG applications on farms that had been restricted before the implementation of the new standards on July 2, 2007.  She said most of the data was to support the County’s position of applying Policy P-50, Transition from Existing Farmland Preservation Program Rules to those applications.

                     Mrs. Ernst said she has not received any response to the Board’s position on S-267 supporting Tax Abatement on permanently County and State Restricted Farmland nor to the Board’s request to the Governor seeking his support for the legislation.  She encouraged the Board to continue to keep dialogue open with the legislators to introduce the proposed legislation.

THIRD ITEM:          Mrs. Ernst said that the financial statement from the Treasurer’s office showed the balance in the fund at the end of February 28, 2010 was $5,502,962.94.

FOURTH ITEM:         Vice-Chairman Hazlett presented one application for preliminary review.    

                                                Borough of Woodbine, Block 99, Lot 1    15 Acres
(Kathleen Kindle)

                     The farm located at the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Washington Avenue has extensive frontage on both roads and is currently in equine production.

                     Vice-Chairman Hazlett asked Ms. Kindle if the farm was farmland assessed and if she understood equine production as it relates to this program. He also asked how many horses are on the farm.

                     Ms. Kindle said that she had 13 horses, but currently is down to 7 and understood the qualifier of equine production.  She said that she had used her front lot for hay, but has since turned that into pasture and buys her hay.

                     Vice-Chairman asked Ms. Kindle if she would accept appraised value for her development easement.  Ms. Kindle said she is willing to consider and negotiate.  Mr. Rea commented that the appraised value would be market value.  Ms. Kindle replied that she just had an appraisal done on the property so she knows what it is worth.

                     Mrs. Ernst asked if there were any structures on the property and Ms. Kindle replied that there was a house, barn, and sheds.

                     Mr. Rea made a motion, it was seconded by Mrs. Wheeler to preliminarily accept the Kindle application into the program for further processing.

                     Roll Call taken, Jim Hazlett, Yes; Leslie Rea, Yes; Sue Ann Wheeler, Yes. The motion passed with 3 yes votes.

FIFTH ITEM:               Middle Township Block 167.01, Lot 92, formerly                    known as 34.02 & 90  83.73 Acres

Warren C. Stiles, Beverly A. Schellinger, Irvin R. Stiles and Anne P. Stiles, Executrix of Herbert D. Stiles

The Board reviewed the application and the appraisal review certifying a value.  A signed letter confirming the willingness of the Stiles family to sell the development easement on the above mentioned farm at the certified value of $12,825.00 per acre was presented to the board for their approval.

Mr. Rea made a motion, and it was seconded by Mrs. Wheeler to approved Resolution 1-10 approving the purchase of the development easement on the Stiles farm.

                     Roll Call taken, Jim Hazlett, Yes; Leslie Rea, Yes; Sue Ann Wheeler, Yes. The motion passed with 3 yes votes.

ADJOURNMENT:         Mr. Rea made a motion; it was seconded by Mrs. Wheeler and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 P.M.

                     Next Meeting May 24, 2010 at 7:30 P.M.

                                           Respectfully submitted,

                                           Barbara M. Ernst