(A) Agricultural lands identified in the Master Plan. Development rights on a parcel of land may be acquired under this ADR program only if the parcel of land is identified as "Agriculture" or "Agriculture/Residential" on the Future Land Use Map in the township's Master Plan.
(B) Guidelines to establish acquisition priority. In the event that financial resources of the township are inadequate to allow acquisition of development rights on all of the parcels voluntarily offered for acquisition, the following guidelines shall be used to establish acquisition priorities:
(1) Essential land protection goals. Every ADR project should be related to one or more of the following land protection goals:
(a) The project aids in the conservation and stewardship of productive agricultural or forest land;
(b) The project aids in the protection of wetlands, floodplains, stream or river banks, ponds or groundwater recharge areas that have an important role in maintaining ground or surface water quality; and
(c) The project preserves significant natural areas that have recognized ecological value.
(2) Positive conservation values. Projects shall generally be ranked highest based on the number of the following conservation values they exhibit:
(a) There is widespread community support for the project;
(b) If acquisition is not accomplished under the ADR program, the land is likely to be developed for a use that does not preserve its special conservation value;
(c) The project protects prime farmland adjacent to other lands that are currently being farmed;
(d) The project protects scenic qualities visible to the public from public roads, from the Red Cedar River or from public parks;
(e) There is a reasonable possibility that other valuable property rights on other nearby properties could be acquired, thereby expanding the overall conservation value of the project;
(f) The parcel is of sufficient size that the conservation resources of the parcel are likely to remain intact, even if adjacent properties are developed; and
(g) Protection of the property is consistent with current zoning.
(3) Negative conservation values. The priority of projects shall generally decline if they exhibit any of the following negative conservation values:
(a) There is little community support for the project;
(b) The project has limited value for the community as a whole;
(c) The parcel of land is not especially productive for agricultural use (although conservation of open land for future agricultural use may be considered a positive conservation value). Agricultural productivity shall be a key consideration when comparing parcels of land for possible acquisition;
(d) The parcel of land is surrounded by land that has already been taken out of agricultural production, creating potential conflict between agricultural operations and more urban land use;
(e) The parcel of land is small and there is little likelihood of adjacent properties being protected;
(f) The land that is proposed to be protected is part of a development proposal that, overall, is likely to have significant adverse impact on conservation of natural resources;
(g) The project will be unusually expensive and will use significant financial resources; and
(h) The parcel of land is subject to mining that would destroy the features the township would like to protect.
(Ord. passed 6-29-1999)