rDRAFT
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY POLICIES/STRATEGIES
November 17, 2011
State Goal
To ensure the protection of
agricultural and forest resources and to discourage new incompatible
development that may threaten those resources.
Local Goal
Increase the economic
contributions of agricultural and forest resources to the community and
increase the public’s awareness of those contributions.
Policy 1:
Safeguard our agricultural
resources by supporting practices and programs that ensure profitability,
sustainability and the transfer of ownership for continued agricultural use.
Strategies
a.
Initiate periodic
communication with active farmers, either directly, or through the
USDA-NRCS-ACS to determine their solvency and intentions for continued
production.
b.
Evaluate active
farms for participation in various taxation programs, including Farm, Open
Space and Tree Growth Programs that may reduce their tax liability. Report
findings to farm owners.
c.
Research the
farmland property tax structure in
d.
Schedule public
gravel road maintenance to coincide with planting and harvest.
e.
Seek grant/loan
opportunities that support local and regional needs of individual farms, farm
diversification, valued-added processing, potato packing, grain milling, farm
product marketing and transportation and access to and consumption of locally
raised foods.
f.
Continue to
support and maintain a site for the Fort Kent Farmer’s Market and support
emerging options for all-season access to local farm products.
g.
Support, through
membership, the Maine Farmland Trust’s efforts to raise funds to keep farms
active and acknowledge that local grassroots support helps attract
philanthropic contributions.
h.
Provide a list of
farm and forest resource agencies to new landowners of 10 or more acres in the
town triggered by the receipt of transfer tax reports as a gesture to encourage
management.
i.
Encourage farms
to participate in local events and to support the Chamber of Commerce to help
increase public awareness of agriculture in the community.
j.
Amend the Site
Design Review process to identify prime agricultural and forestland soils
proposed for development. Monitor and report conversion of farmland to other
uses.
k.
Encourage a local
chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and support for local agricultural
education through the SAD and University.
l.
Encourage
participation in “Open Farm Days” and/or a local version coordinated with the
Scarecrow or other festivals to help educate the general public about farming.
m. Support local interest in Cooperative Extension’s 4-H
and other agricultural programs.
Policy 2:
Safeguard our forest resources
by supporting practices and programs that ensure profitability and
sustainability.
Strategies
a.
Research, support
and initiate with university and industry participation, a vocational/technical
program in forestry and forestry equipment operation.
b.
Evaluate woodland
parcels for participation in taxation programs, including Farm, Open Space and
Tree Growth Programs that may reduce their tax liability. Report findings to
woodlot owners.
c.
Seek grant/loan
opportunities that support the needs of woodlot owners, logging contractors,
lumber mills and woodworking shops related to management, job creation and
market access and development.
d.
Support emerging
opportunities to develop regional and community scale biomass facilities for
heating and electrical generation.
e.
Work with local
Conservation District, landowners, the University and private Foresters to seek
SARE – Sustainable Community funds to help identify the higher value forest
parcels based on soils, available resource data and site inspections and
encourage owners to manage their forest.
f.
Amend the zoning
ordinance to require minimum standards for driveways, construction material
standards, water quality and wildlife habitat standards for residential
structures built in forested areas.
g.
Encourage the
University to manage and showcase the Lonesome Pine Tract as a community
demonstration forest.
h. Research “equal responsibility” laws pertaining to
boundary line maintenance and consider amendment(s) to the zoning ordinance
that may require a boundary survey.
Policy 3:
Discourage redundancy in the
local regulation of agricultural and timber harvesting practices by allowing
existing State
Strategies
a.
Cooperate with
Department of Conservation Forest Service in the enforcement of State timber
harvesting regulations.
b.
Refer local
complaints to the Maine Forest Service for investigation and carry out
follow-up contact with complaining property owner on the outcome.
c.
Erosion and/or
water quality issue should be reported to the USDA-NRCS by the CEO or Town
Manager who should also request that the landowner seek NRCS assistance.
d. Continue to support the St. John Valley Soil and Water
Conservation District through membership and cooperation.
Policy 4:
Maintain a minimum base of
publically owned land for the long term potential to benefit the community for
multiple uses.
Strategies
a.
Prior to offering
for sale any undeveloped tract of tax acquired property, the Town shall hire a
Licensed Forester to evaluate its agricultural and timber value and other
potential uses, i.e. gravel source, open space, recreation, etc.
b.
Set an example
for other landowners by managing well, the town’s community forest lands.
c.
Consider creating
a reserve account, funded through tax acquired sales and timber sales, for
acquisition of land with well defined public value.
d. Seek Land for
Policy 5:
Protect, manage and expand
trees in the urban landscape to enhance community awareness of their values and
benefits, and to enhance community aesthetics and quality of life.
Strategies
a.
Request that the
St. John Valley Soil and Water Conservation District coordinate an educational
program on the planting and care of urban trees.
b.
Encourage the
University Forestry or Environmental Program to inventory urban trees and
develop a management plan and schedule to monitor the health and maintenance of
urban trees.
c. Seek funds for interpretive signage on tree species,
vernal pools and other natural features along the Town’s urban trails including
Riverside North and South trails.
(A section on invasive plant species will be added to the Natural Resources Policies