§ 85-924. Agricultural Advisory Board.

A. 

In recognition of the importance of agriculture to the local economy and as a land use which provides significant areas of the Town with a rural, rustic character and charm, the Town Board established an Agricultural Advisory Board to advise the Town on policy issues and programs affecting the viability and enhancement of agricultural industries within the Town to ensure the continued viability of farming as an industry that is important to the local economy; to balance the relationship of agricultural practices and the community; and provide the Town Board, and other relevant committees, with recommendations on issues that may impact the agricultural community.

B. 

The Agricultural Advisory Board shall be comprised of 11 members, appointed by the Town Board. The Board shall include seven members of the agricultural community that are actively engaged in the operation and/or ownership of a farm located within the Town, at least one of which shall be involved in aquaculture; one member of the Town Board, or his or her designee; the Commissioner of Planning and Environment, or his or her designee; one representative from the Long Island Farm Bureau; and one representative of the Peconic Land Trust.

C. 

Board duties. The Board shall:

(1) 

Review, approve and periodically revise an inventory of agricultural lands within the Town, as prepared by the Department of Planning and Environment, to be employed as a resource in prioritizing the preservation of agricultural lands.

(2) 

Recommend to the Town Board agricultural lands from which development rights should be purchased.

(3) 

Review, provide comment and make recommendations to the Town Board on land use policies, programs and related matters relevant to agricultural lands or the agricultural industry.

(4) 

Review and make recommendations to the Town Board and the Commissioner of Planning and Environment with regard to establishing policy and the implementation of agricultural easements and other land use planning and preservation tools and programs to enhance and encourage the preservation and establishment of agricultural industries within the Town.

(5) 

Review and provide comment on any contracts, leases, licenses or other agreements regarding the use of agricultural lands for which the Town has acquired the development rights or has acquired in fee simple.

(6) 

Review and provide comment on any contracts, leases, licenses or other agreements regarding the use of Town-owned underwater lands for aquaculture purposes.

(7) 

Review all applications for building permits and demolition permits for structures located on agricultural lands from which development rights have been purchased from the Town, or lands that are located within a certified New York State Agricultural District, to determine what effect their granting may have on the existing and future agricultural use of the property, and to provide comments to the Commissioner of Planning.

(8) 

Study and review federal, state and county legislation affecting agricultural industry and advise the Town Board and the Commissioner of Planning of its findings.

(9) 

Serve as a conduit for communications between the various segments of the agricultural community and the Town Board.

D. 

Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Advisory Committee. Parcels for potential acquisition that have been nominated via a nomination form and submitted to Land Management Staff (LMS) and maintain farmland or agricultural uses shall be referred to the Agricultural Advisory Board for review prior to any presentation to the Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Advisory Committee. The Board shall review such parcel and either recommend approval for acquisition, approval for purchase of development rights, or denial of the nomination for acquisition. Such recommendation shall be presented to the Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Advisory Committee, the Supervisor, and members of the Town Board.

E. 

Purchase of development rights. In recommending the acquisition of development rights, the Agricultural Advisory Board shall consider the agricultural parcel's soil suitability for agricultural use, history of agricultural production, and future potential for continued agricultural production.

F. 

Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or item of this section shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not impair nor invalidate the remainder hereof, but such adjudication shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or item directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.

Amended 4-21-2016 by L.L. No. 7-2016, effective 5-3-2016