A public hearing will be held on the Eight-Year Review of Ulster County Agricultural District No. 3 on Tuesday, March 14 at 7:00 PM or as soon thereafter as the public may be heard, in Legislative Chambers in the Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair St. Kingston, New York.
Review Process
Pursuant to Section 303-a of NYS Agriculture and Markets Law 25AA, the Ulster County Legislature is required to review any agricultural district created under this section eight years after the date of its creation and the end of every eight year period thereafter. The review date for Agricultural District No. 3 is July 21, 2017.
Description of District
Agricultural District #3 is centered in the Rondout Valley. Most of the farming in the District occurs in the low-lying area around the Rondout Creek. The majority of District’s tax parcels are located in the Towns of Marbletown and Rochester. Olive, Rosendale and Wawarsing have most of the remaining parcels. Some outlier parcels are located in Hardenburgh. More parcels located in higher elevations have been included into the District within the last decade.
Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board Recommendations
The Ulster County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board (AFPB), in its review of the District, recommended it be continued with modifications. The AFPB recommended the removal of 10 parcels totaling 68 acres the District. The parcels recommended for removal have been subdivided into residential lots or have non-farm structures and infrastructure located on them. The AFPB did not recommend removal of residential subdivision parcels if evidence of recent agricultural use was seen.
Availability of Documents/ Questions
A description of the process and the recommendation of the AFPB may be viewed in the County Planning Department office and on the County Planning Department website at http://ulstercountyny.gov/agricultural_district_3_review Questions should be directed to Burt Samuelson at 845-339-2490.
Comments
All parties and interested citizens will be heard by the Ulster County Legislature at this Public Hearing. Farmers within the District are urged to comment on and participate in the identification of appropriate district boundaries. Written comments will be accepted at the public hearing or by mail and email no later than 5:00 P.M. on March 14, 2017 and should be directed to:
Victoria Fabella, Clerk
Ulster County Legislature
244 Fair Street
PO Box 1800
Kingston, NY 12402-1800
Email: vfab[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us
The Ulster County Legislature is committed to making its Public Meetings accessible to individuals with disabilities. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation or assistance to participate in the Public Hearing or to obtain a copy of the transcript of the Public Hearing in an alternative format in accordance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Office of the Clerk of the Legislature at 340-3900.
Dated: March 2, 2017 Victoria Fabella, Clerk
Kingston, NY Ulster County Legislature
