Township of South Harrison, NJ Farmland Preservation

"Are you in favor of an appropriation of approximately $11,000.00 per year in the South Harrison Township Municipal Budget to contribute toward the purchase by Gloucester County of Farmland Preservation Easements in South Harrison Township pursuant to the New Jersey Farmland Preservation Program?"

The voters of South Harrison Township approved the question by a vote of 580 in favor to 221 against. As a result of that vote, the South Harrison Township Committee took action to place in the 1997 municipal budget a line item appropriation of $11,800.

Intent. The intent is to establish a Farmland Preservation Assistance Trust (FPAT) to encourage retention of farmland and open space by placing into each annual budget an appropriation equal to the sum of $500. At the discretion of the Township Committee, the annual farmland preservation budget appropriation may be adjusted by resolution adopted by the Township Committee. This trust fund shall be used to encourage landowners to apply for the state and county farmland preservation program, and help them gain additional qualification points by allowing them to agree to a lower per-acre price (called a "bid down") than that established by the state program approved appraiser. The one-time payment to qualified applicants shall be limited to those landowners accepted into the state and county program for permanent farmland preservation.

[Amended 3-12-2014 by Ord. No. 0-14-03]

§ 69-2 Trust fund procedures.

The South Harrison Township Committee shall provide for an annual farmland preservation municipal budget appropriation in an amount equal to $500, which appropriation may be amended at the discretion of the Township Committee by resolution.

[Amended 3-12-2014 by Ord. No. 0-14-03]

The South Harrison Township Municipal Finance Officer (MFO) shall establish and maintain a South Harrison Township Farmland Preservation Assistance Trust by using the amount placed in the final adopted annual budget to fund this program. The MFO shall make monthly reports to the Township Committee regarding the balance status of this trust.

This trust fund shall retain all interest earned for program use.

If this Farmland Preservation Assistance Trust Fund is discontinued for any reason, the unallocated balance shall be transferred to the South Harrison Township Parkland Trust Fund.

There shall be no money dispensed from this fund until an amendment to this article or a separate ordinance has been established and approved that sets forth the qualifications, procedures, payment formula and payout method for permanent farmland preservation assistance.

Article II Payment Procedures

[Adopted 12-29-1998 by Ord. No. 0-98-15]

§ 69-3 Background information.

In mid-1996 the South Harrison Township Committee voted to place on the November 5, 1996, election ballot the following nonbinding public question:

The Voters of South Harrison Township approved the question by a vote of 580 in favor to 221 against. As a result of that vote, the South Harrison Township Committee took action to place in the 1997 municipal budget a line item appropriation of $11,800.

§ 69-4 Intent.

[Amended 3-12-2014 by Ord. No. 0-14-03]

The intent is to establish a Farmland Preservation Assistance Trust (FPAT) to encourage retention of farmland and open space by placing into each annual budget an appropriation equal to the sum of $500. At the discretion of the Township Committee, the annual farmland preservation budget appropriation may be adjusted by resolution adopted by the Township Committee. This trust fund shall be used to encourage landowners to apply for the state and county farmland preservation program, and help them gain additional qualification points by allowing them to agree to a lower per-acre price (called a "bid down") than that established by the state program approved appraiser. The one-time payment to qualified applicants shall be limited to those landowners accepted into the state and county program for permanent farmland preservation.

§ 69-5 Trust fund procedures.

[Amended 3-12-2014 by Ord. No. 0-14-03]

This trust fund shall retain all interest earned for program use.

If this Farmland Preservation Assistance Trust Fund is discontinued for any reason the unallocated balance shall be transferred to the South Harrison Township Parkland Trust Fund, by ordinance of the South Harrison Township Committee.

§ 69-6 Payment qualification and procedures.

[Amended 3-10-2004 by Ord. No. 0-04-04]

Payment shall be limited to permanent farmland preservation easements only which shall have been approved for the state or county farmland preservation programs.

Maximum amount of payments shall be limited to $100 per acre.

The trust fund balance available to an approved applicant shall be determined as the unallocated amount (less $1,000) in the Farmland Trust on the date of final approval by the State of New Jersey and/or County of Gloucester. Should there be insufficient funds available to an approved applicant for a particular calendar year, the applicant may reapply the following year, and such approved applicant shall have priority between new applications submitted to the Township Clerk under § 69-6D.

[Amended 3-12-2014 by Ord. No. 0-14-03]

A completed application form requesting payment from South Harrison Township for permanent farmland preservation assistance under the terms of this article must be received by the Township Clerk within one year from the date the land owner received permanent farmland preservation approval from the State of New Jersey or County of Gloucester that shall commence from the date of the recorded deed recording the deed restriction for permanent farmland preservation. The landowner may request, in writing, an extension of time by stating the reasons for the delay in filing a timely application, which extension may be granted by the South Harrison Township Committee for good cause memorialized by resolution.

[Amended 4-10-2013 by Ord. No. 0-13-05]

The Municipal Clerk shall establish an application checkoff form consisting of the following requirements:

(1)

Copy of state or county program approval;

(2)

Copy of the program land appraisal;

(3)

Copy of the recorded deed from the applicant to the county or to the state for all acres in the program showing deed restriction for permanent farmland use;

(4)

Copy of the state or county program application;

(5)

Amount of payment requested by the applicant showing the number of acres and total amount requested ($100 per acre);

(6)

Certification signature by the applicant indicating all documents are attached and are copies of the originals and that the applicant has read this article;

(7)

Applicant's printed name, full address and social security number or business tax identification number (TIN).

The South Harrison Township Municipal Clerk shall time stamp (date and time) the application when it is complete with all attachments and certify as such by signature.

After the application has been certified as complete, the South Harrison Township Municipal Clerk shall prepare a resolution for the South Harrison Township Committee's consideration that indicates the application is complete and authorizes the South Harrison Township Municipal Finance Officer to make payment to the applicant as requested.

The South Harrison Township Municipal Clerk shall provide to all applicants to the state or county programs a copy of this article and Township application form for their use at the time said application is approved by the South Harrison Township Committee.

The South Harrison Municipal Clerk shall establish a permanent file to retain all documents (including a copy of the front and back of the canceled payment check) covering the approved payments under this article.