It is hereby found and declared by the Town Board of
the Town of Red Hook that agricultural lands are irreplaceable assets. To
that end, the Town Board finds farming to be an essential activity within
the town which greatly contributes to the economic viability of the town.
Farming also reinforces the special quality of life enjoyed by the town's
residents, provides the visual benefit of open space and generates economic
benefits and social well-being within the community. Therefore, the Town Board
emphasizes to both the town's current residents and prospective newcomers
to the town that it is the policy of this town to conserve, protect and encourage
the development and improvement of agricultural land for the production of
food and other products and also for its natural and ecological value.
Furthermore, the Town Board hereby supports those farmers,
as well as all those employed, retained or otherwise authorized to act on
behalf of farmers, in their efforts to lawfully and responsibly engage in
the time-honored profession of farming. The Town Board hereby expresses its
support of the enactment by the State Legislature of Chapter 797 of the Law
of 1992 of the State of New York[1] which, among other things, added a new section to the Agriculture
and Markets Law of the State of New York by establishing for the first time
a statutory right to farm by prohibiting the commencement of private nuisance
suits against farmers who engage in sound agricultural practices.
The Town Board, in an effort to promote and foster a
harmonious relationship between the residents of the town and those who contemplate
purchasing land with the Town of Red Hook and to conserve, protect and encourage
the development and improvement of agricultural land for the production of
food and other products, hereby declares that it shall be the policy of this
town to provide reasonable notice to prospective landowners that farming activities
may occur on neighboring lands.
Upon the submission of a preliminary subdivision plat
or a multifamily residential site plan to the Planning Board of the Town of
Red Hook, pursuant to Article 16 of the Town Law of the State of New York,
the applicant, in addition to any other requirement, shall submit a separate
statement to the Planning Board stating whether the boundaries of the proposed
subdivision or multifamily residential dwelling are to be located partially,
wholly or within or are within 500 feet of either an Agricultural District
or land for which an individual commitment has been received pursuant to § 305
or 306 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York.
Should any proposed subdivision or multifamily residence
be located partially, wholly or within 500 feet of either an Agricultural
District or land for which an individual commitment has been received pursuant
to § 305 or 306 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State
of New York, then the following notice shall appear on either the final subdivision
plat or final site plan: "It is the policy of the Town of Red Hook to conserve,
protect and encourage the development and improvement of agricultural land
for the production of food and other products and also for its natural ecological
value. This notice is to inform the prospective grantee that the property
he is about to acquire lies partially, wholly or within 500 feet of either
an agricultural district or land for which an individual commitment has been
received pursuant to § 305 or 306 of the Agriculture and Markets
Law of the State of New York and that farming activities may occur on such
property. Such farming activities may include but not be limited to activities
that cause noise, dust and odors."
In addition to the requirements of Subsection B, the Planning Board shall also require as a condition of final subdivision or site plan approval that, prior to the initial sale, purchase or exchange of any real property within any such subdivision or multifamily residence, the grantor shall also deliver to the prospective grantee a typewritten document containing the notice set forth in Subsection B. Further, the grantor shall incorporate said notice in any deeds wherein title to any such property is to be initially conveyed to a grantee.