Sat Jul 04 2009
By Mike Sever
Record-Courier staff writer
A group of five landowners in Hiram Township have applied for the first agricultural security area. It is the first in Portage County under a recent state law to help farms resist development pressures.
The area is 505 contiguous acres southwest of the village and S.R. 82.
Lynn Erickson, executive director of the Portage County Regional Planning Commission told commission members Wednesday the application was filed by Hiram Township Trustee Jack Groselle and four other landowners. Groselle is chairman of the planning commission but was not present at the meeting.
Erickson said both the township and county are required to hold public hearings on the application. ASA enrollments are for 10-year periods.
If approved, township trustees and county commissioners pass resolutions committing not to initiate, approve or finance any development for residential, commercial or industrial purposes within the security area. This includes construction of new roads, water or sewer lines for at least 10 years.
Landowners also commit not to engage in any non-farm development, with two exceptions. Landowners can request permission from the township and county to operate a business that does not impair their agricultural activities.
And landowners are allowed to build or establish one single-family home for relatives only per each 40 acres of the owner's land within the ASA.
Farmers who own land in an ASA may be eligible for a tax exemption on investments of $25,000 or more on a building, structure, improvement or fixture for agriculture.
The planning commission voted to support the ASA petition.
In other action, the planning commission approved a replat of lots in the Milford Estates subdivision in Randolph. Owners Larry and Nancy Francis requested that three 1.74-acre lots on New Milford Road be combined and replatted as two lots of 2.6 acres each, with approximately 194 feet of frontage each. The area is zoned low density residential.
Planners noted the site has hydric soils, appears to have wetlands on both lots along with drainage ways and intermittent streams.
The lots also are subject to the township's Environmental Overlay zoning district regulations because of the wetlands and other features.
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