Maryland - ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
Countywide program - Formed in 1978 - researched by Suzanne Heflin
OVERVIEW - Bordering Chesapeake Bay and centered on Annapolis, Maryland's state capital, Anne Arundel County has a small agricultural economy and a rapidly growing population. The county is within easy commute distance of Washington and Baltimore, with interstate highway connections to both cities. Anne Arundel participates in both major state easement programs, Maryland Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and Rural Legacy. Since 1991 the county has also operated its own purchase of development rights (PDR) program, acquiring easements entirely with local revenues. Installment Purchase Agreements (IPAs) have been offered to landowners since 2000. With the northern part of the county heavily urbanized, easement acquisitions are targeted in southern areas, especially a large Rural Legacy area of 18,000 acres.
EASEMENT ACTIVITY - 9,571 agricultural acres in 90
properties. Approximately one-third of easement acres are woodland, with the
rest divided between cropland and pastureland.
Goals: 20,000 agricultural acres, more than half of the total in the
county.
Other Easement Programs: 822 agricultural acres in 18 parcels held by
the Maryland Environmental Trust (as of 1/03), 1,953 acres held by land trusts
(as of 4/01), and 610 acres in one parcel held by Green Print (as of 10/02).
Total Agricultural Easements in County: About 13,000 acres.
FUNDING
Acquisition Spending to Date: $29.7 million
Revenues: Annual appropriations from general funds, supporting the county
program, are the top source. Other revenues include state funds from MALPF and
Rural Legacy, the county match for state-funded projects from the local portion
of agricultural land transfer taxes, and a small amount of federal funds. Since
2000 about $ 7.7 million has been spent in 25- and 30-year IPAs.
GOVERNANCE - The Agricultural Land and Woodland Preservation Program is administered by the Anne Arundel County Office of Recreation and Parks. The Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board, a five-member citizen board appointed by the County Council, oversees the program. It advises the County Executive and the County Council on the allocation of easement money, the creation of agricultural districts and economic development projects such as farmers markets.
STAFF AND OPERATING BUDGET - Two full-time staff positions, plus consultants and support from the Office of Recreation and Parks. The annual operating budget is approximately $150,000.
ORIGINS - The program was formed in the late 1970s to participate in state funding. At that time, the community was much more rural and had a larger agricultural base. The county began its locally-funded easement program in 1991, acquiring the first easements in 1992.
ACQUISITION PROCESS AND STRATEGY - Anne Arundel's
legislative body, the County Council, approves county-purchased easements and
applications to the state for MALPF and Rural Legacy funding. The Advisory Board
recommends program priorities and ranking. There are different application and
review processes for the county, MALPF and Rural Legacy programs. Especially
for the county program, the geographical emphasis is on locating easements in
the Churchton, Harwood and Greenock areas of southern Anne Arundel County.
Rating of Parcels: Quantitative. Results determine the order in which
offers are made to landowners. COUNTY: No maximum point value. Scoring emphasis
is given to development proximity, agricultural quality, cost, contiguity and
parcel size. Discretionary points can be assigned for "extraordinary opportunities."
MALPF: Applications are ranked only on cost, depending on number of applicants.
RURAL LEGACY: Points are assigned for cost, development potential, natural resources,
parcel size and agriculture quality.
Other Criteria: All programs require properties to have development potential
as a minimum criterion. COUNTY: Enrollment in an Agricultural District, at least
50 percent Class I-III soils. conservation plan, and location outside of water
and sewer service areas; also favors landowners that will use IPAs. Easement
prices are set at 60 percent of fair market value. MALPF: Enrollment in a state
Agricultural District, 50 acre minimum, at least 50 percent Class I-III soils.
RURAL LEGACY: Location within the South County Rural Legacy area.
CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL PLANNING AND LAND USE POLICIES
- The county easement program is one of several tools used to implement the
1997 General Development Plan, which calls for channeling development to growth
areas. Related planning tools include an adequate public facilities ordinance
and Critical Areas regulations.
Zoning: County Residential Agricultural (RA) density of one unit to 20
acres (1:20) on 88,000 acres (since 1981). Rural Low Density zoning is 1:5 on
10,000 acres; 1:2 allowed if at least 50 percent of the property borders a developed
parcel and a major highway.
DEMOGRAPHICS
2000 Population: 489,656
1990-2000 Population Change: +62,417 residents; +14 percent
AGRICULTURAL LAND
Approximately 34,000 agricultural acres.
Conversion to Urban Use: 16,688 farmland acres were converted in 1980-2001,
28,018 acres were preserved in 1980-2000. In 1991-2000 converted acres totaled
2,228 while 3,896 acres were preserved. (State conversion data)
OTHER AGRICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
1997 Market Value: $12.6 million Number of Farms: 412
Principal Commodities: Nursery and greenhouse crops, tobacco, corn
MAP NARRATIVE - EASEMENT GEOGRAPHY
(PROGRAM MAP)
The northern part of Anne Arundel County is largely urbanized and devoted
to nonagricultural land uses. Most farms are located in the southern part of
the county. Approximately 80 percent of the land under easement is located within
the South County Rural Legacy Area. While many easements are scattered, several
blocks of more than 1,200 acres each have emerged in the last five years.