Referred to: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit

Committee (Chairman Maloney and Legislators Berky, Delaune, Lapp, Litts, Maio

and Rodriguez)

Chairman of the Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning, and Transit

Committee, James F. Maloney, and Deputy Chairman Hector Rodriguez offer the

following:

WHEREAS, consistent with §303(b) of New York Agriculture and Markets

Law (AML), Ulster County established an annual 30-day review period for farmers

to request the inclusion of additional lands in Agricultural Districts within Ulster

County; and

WHEREAS, during this period, 14 requests were submitted to the Ulster

County Legislature, consisting of 17 parcels with a total of approximately 488 acres;

and

WHEREAS, on May 15, 2017, the Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature

transmitted the requests for inclusion to the Agricultural Farmland Protection Board

for their recommendations as required under §303(b) of the AML; and

WHEREAS, the Agricultural Farmland Protection Board met and reviewed

the requests on May 25, 2017, and took the necessary actions by a majority of its

members as required under the AML, to recommend the inclusion of lands in

Agricultural Districts within Ulster County that consist of predominately viable

agricultural land, and determined that the inclusion of such land would serve the

public interest by assisting in maintaining a viable agricultural industry within the

district; and

WHEREAS, the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board has filed these

recommendations/results and supporting documentation with the Clerk of the Ulster

County Legislature; and

WHEREAS , The Ulster County Legislature held the required public hearing

on June 20, 2017 with one public comment received via mail by the Clerk of the

Legislature; and

WHERE

WHEREAS, the addition of lands to Agricultural Districts with respect to the

State Environmental Quality Review Act (Part 617 NYCRR) are considered an

Unlisted Action and an Environmental Assessment Form has been completed and

filed with the Clerk of the Legislature; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature finds, after review of the

Environmental Assessment Form and the recommendations of the Agricultural

Farmland Protection Board, for the inclusion of lands within agricultural districts, as

filed with the Clerk of the Legislature, that no significant adverse environmental

impacts will occur as a result of this action and a Negative Declaration is adopted

under NYCRR Part 617.7 (SEQRA); and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature adopts the recommendations

of the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, as filed with the Clerk of the

Ulster County Legislature, which includes the placement of additional lands within

existing agricultural districts in Ulster County with the exception of parcel section,

block, and lot number 54.1-1-5 located at 5155 State Route 213 in the Town of Olive,

totaling 16 parcels and approximately 485 acres that shall not be included; and, be it

further

RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall submit this

resolution, a copy of the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board report and other

material as required under Agriculture and Markets Law Article 25-AA –

Agricultural Districts, to the Commissioner of Agriculture, and request that the

Commissioner certify the inclusion of these lands in an agriculture district if feasible

and in the public interest,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 21 NOES: 0

(Absent: Legislators Delaune and Maloney) 

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit

on July 12, 2017

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is

the original resolution adopted by the Ulster County Legislature on the 18th Day of July in the year Two Thousand and

Seventeen, and said resolution shall remain on file in the office of said clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 19th Day of July in

the year Two Thousand and Seventeen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature