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

Committee (Chairman James Maloney and Legislators Archer, Delaune, Litts, Maio,

Rodriguez, and Woltman)

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

Committee, James F. Maloney, and Deputy Chair 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 from March

1

st to March 30th, 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 20 parcels with a total of approximately 457 acres;

and

WHEREAS, on May 15, 2018, the Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature

transmitted the requests for inclusion to the Agricultural Farmland Protection Board

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

WHEREAS, the AFPB met and reviewed the requests on May 31, 2018, and

after consideration of the factors required under §303(b) of the AML, by a majority

vote of its members, recommended the inclusion of additional lands in Agricultural

Districts within Ulster County; and

WHEREAS, the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board has filed these

recommendations and supporting documentation with the Clerk of the Ulster County

Legislature, thereby fulfilling its obligations under §303(b) of the AML; and

WHEREAS, The Ulster County Legislature held the required public hearing

on June 19, 2018 with 1 public comment by email; and

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 AFBP as filed with the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature, which includes

the placement of additional lands within existing agricultural districts in Ulster

County totaling 17 parcels and approximately 439 acres; and, be it further

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

resolution, a copy of the AFPB 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: 23 NOES: 0

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

on July 3, 2018

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 17th Day of July in the year Two Thousand and

Eighteen, 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 Eighteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature