Northampton County Purchase Of Development Rights Program on the Land Conservation Assistance Network

Northampton County Purchase Of Development Rights Program
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last updated: August 2022

The goal of the program is to preserve and protect farm and forested lands through perpetual easements. The protected land base will help to ensure that farm and forested lands will be available for future generations to maintain a viable agricultural industry for Northampton County.

By preventing development in the rural areas of the County, tremendous savings are realized by offsetting infrastructure costs. PDR prevents the need for new roads and improvements, public services such as police, fire and EMS, new schools, libraries, and trash collection. The American Farmland Trust Cost of Community Services studies conducted over the last 20 years show working lands generate more public revenues than they receive back in public services. Their impact on community coffers is similar to that of other commercial and industrial land uses. The median Cost of Community Services results show that for every $1.00 collected in real estate tax, $1.19 is spent for city services on residential land use but only $0.37 is spent on working and open lands. Agricultural lands require very few city services and generate positive tax revenue, thus they actually subsidize the residential development.

PDR is a voluntary program administered by the County’s Board of Supervisors and the Purchase of Development Rights Committee. The latter is composed of farmers, conservationists, public servants, and the PDR Program Administrator who is a Northampton County Planning Department Planner. Northampton County owners of farm and forested lands which meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

At least 50% of the tract’s soils are prime agricultural soils (Bojac or Munden) based on the most recent soil maps used by the County’s Planning and Zoning Department.
The tract is located in either A-1 Agriculture or Conservation zoning district and is in the Agricultural/Forest Land Use Area as mapped on the Future Land Use and Development Map in the County’s Comprehensive Plan
There must be no existing violations on the easement parcel. Applicants found to have violations may reapply after these areas are satisfactorily resolved.
A permanent conservation easement will apply to the entire parcel of land on which development rights are being donated or sold.

Contact Northampton County Purchase Of Development Rights Program

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Northampton County Purchase Of Development Rights Program is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.