The Ulster County Legislature will accept applications from landowners wanting to have their agricultural lands included within a NYS Certified Agricultural District from March 1 through March 30, 2021.

Landowners seeking inclusion into a New York State Certified Agricultural District must submit a completed Agricultural District Inclusion Application available on the Planning Department’s website at http://ulstercountyny.gov/planning/annual-agricultural-district-inclusions. Interested parties may also request an application by contacting Burt Samuelson at (845) 339-2490 or via email at bsam[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us with tax map identification number(s). The Application and the relevant portion to the tax map should be submitted to:

Burt Samuelson, Ulster County Planning Department

244 Fair St., PO Box 1800

Kingston, NY 12402-1800

Applications must be received no later than the close of business on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Applications may also be sent by e-mail to bsam[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us. E-mailed applications must be received by 11:59 PM on March 30, 2021.

Agricultural District Law adopted by the New York State Legislature in 1971 provides for the creation of Agricultural Districts to protect and promote the availability of land for farming purposes. Lands within Districts are protected from unreasonable local regulation of farm practices, the acquisition by public entities through the use of eminent domain, and the advance of public funds to construct facilities that encourage non-farm development. Additionally, land used in agricultural production within an Agricultural District is not subject to benefit assessments, special ad valorem levies or other rates and fees for the financing of improvements such as water, sewer or non-farm drainage.

Ulster County has four certified Agricultural Districts containing over 71,000 acres of farmland.