More News

Montgomery County officials say they have a new tool to preserve precious farmland.

Councilman Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown and Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park attended the annual Montgomery County Agricultural Leaders' luncheon Monday at the county fair to discuss the recently passed Maryland House Bill 1517.

The legislation provides $5 million for Montgomery County for a Building Lot Termination program to preserve farmland. Farmers can voluntarily sell an easement to limit development on their property.

"We want horses rather than houses, combines instead of cul-de-sacs," Leventhal told the luncheon crowd.

The county has 561 farms and 350 horticulture businesses on 316,000 acres, producing $243 million in revenue annually.

The new Building Lot Termination program gives the county an additional means of preserving farmland, said John Zawitoski, who oversees agricultural preservation programs for Montgomery County.

In 1980, officials created an Agricultural Reserve to limit development in the northern and western parts of the county. The reserve is one of several efforts, including the county's Transferable Development Rights program, that allows developers with projects in other parts of the county to build with greater density by buying development rights from the farmland owners, Zawitoski said. The programs are designed to preserve scarce farmland.

The latest program allows farmers to sell the development rights to their property instead of selling the property outright to developers at a higher price.

Under the Building Lot Termination program, owners could be compensated for selling the development rights at up to 80 percent of the appraised value, Zawitoski said.

A study will be conducted to determine the best ways to implement the program and administer the $5 million, Zawitoski said.

While $5 million might not sound like a lot, it does get the program rolling, Knapp said.

"We need to recognize the unique nature of agricultural land and the importance of its preservation," Knapp said. "And we need to have the resources to protect this land."

The County Council and County Executive Isiah Leggett are working to create private sector funding to replenish the Building Lot Termination program so it is not just reliant on state money, Knapp said.

Laytonsville farmer Timothy McGrath called the Building Lot Termination program a "good opportunity" for farmers to be better compensated than in the past.

Tom Linthicum, another Laytonsville farmer, agreed.

"Being about to sell the last development right for your farm will help to keep it in agriculture while giving the landowner equity to use without having to sell off a parcel," he said.