Resolutions authorizing the Harford County government to purchase 1,110 acres of land across the county for agricultural preservation were introduced to the County Council Tuesday. If all are passed, Harford County could pay as much as $7,128,116 to preserve land in Havre de Grace, Bel Air, Jarrettsville, Aberdeen, White Hall, Darlington, Whiteford and Street.
Though specific purchase prices are not outlined in the 18 resolutions, there is a dollar limit listed for each.
Per the county charter, qualifying landowners can apply to have their land preserved through the county’s Agricultural Preservation Program which has preserved more than 64,000 acres in Harford thus far. The program eliminates all development rights for each property and secures its use for agricultural purposes only.
Basic eligibility for the program, according to the county’s website, requires properties to be used for agricultural or forest production and have at least one extra development right available — meaning the land, by law, could have been used for development outside of agriculture.
Qualifying land must also meet certain minimum soil productivity standards as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
All applications are reviewed by the county’s Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board and ranked per the county’s Easement Priority Ranking System. The ranking system takes the soil productivity, land features and size, development potential and location, and other related criteria into consideration.
The board then determines a final monetary offer on the property by considering the property’s easement rank, location, development value, productivity and natural resource features.
If approved by the county council, property owners will receive a one-time payment for the land from the county government and all future use of the land will be preserved for agriculture. Each agricultural preservation resolution is scheduled for a public hearing on Nov. 12 at 6:45 p.m. in the Harford County Council Chambers, 212. S. Bond St., Bel Air.
Properties outlined in the resolutions include:
- Aberdeen : 94 acres off of Aldino Stephanie Road; maximum purchase price of $500,000
- Bel Air : 67.1 acres off of Calvary Road; maximum purchase price of $469,700
- Bel Air : 138.28 acres off of Ruffs Mill and Conowingo Road; maximum purchase price of $850,000
- Darlington : 29.172 acres off of Castleton Road; maximum purchase price of $204,204
- Darlington : 82.52 acres off of Castleton Road; maximum purchase price of $400,000
- Havre de Grace : 82.346 acres off of Colt Lane; maximum purchase price of $576,422
- Havre de Grace : 127.314 acres off of Old Level Road; maximum purchase price of $891,198
- Havre de Grace : 47.344 acres off of Quaker Bottom Road; maximum purchase price of $300,000
- Havre de Grace : 81.264 acres off of York Drive; maximum purchase price of $568,852
- Jarrettsville : 82.442 acres off of Sharon Road; maximum purchase price of $577,099
- Jarrettsville : 11 acres off of Jarrettsville Pike; maximum purchase price of $76,909
- Jarrettsville : 28.446 acres off of Rush Road; maximum purchase price of $199,122
- Street : 33.803 acres off of Poole Road; maximum purchase price of $200,000
- Street : 19.85 acres off of Federal Hill Road; maximum purchase price of $100,000
- Whiteford : 26.642 acres off of Cooper Road and Delp Road; maximum purchase price of $181,711
- Whiteford : 27.643 acres off of Line Bridge Road; maximum purchase price of $193,501
- White Hall : 46.345 acres off of Carea Road; maximum purchase price of $324,551.92
- White Hall : 20.625 acres off of Highland Branch Road; maximum purchase price of $100,000
- White Hall : 63.8 acres off of Urey Road; maximum purchase price of $414,843
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