Voluntary agricultural districts back before county planning board
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on April 12, 2004 1:58 PM
After months of germination in committee, Wayne County's proposed "voluntary agriculture districts" program should resurface this week.
The Wayne County Planning Board is expected Tuesday night to discuss the districts, which are intended to reduce conflict between farmers and their neighbors.
A committee has been working since January on the proposal. If the whole board approves, it will be sent to the county commissioners.
If the program is adopted, many farmers could pay a small fee to have their land listed as a district. They would receive signs to post at the road or properties' edge. The districts would also be noted on their deeds and those of surrounding properties.
The program's intent is to alert newcomers to the cotton fields, turkey farm or timberland that may be a few hundred feet away from land or homes they may buy and thereby avert conflict.
The program is completely voluntary, and landowners could withdraw their property at any time. There's no tax advantage to having land inside a district.
The county board was asked to approve the districts last November, but the commissioners were uncomfortable with some of the program's unknowns, such as its cost. They asked the Planning Board to review and revise the proposal.
Also Tuesday, the board is scheduled to review final plats for four subdivision sections: Autumn Ridge, lots 20-45, True Vine Road, Saulston township; Country Pointe, lots 13-40, Nahunta Road, Buck Swamp township; Dobbs County Estates, lots 11-13, State Road 1731, New Hope township; and Warrick's Bridge, lots 4-10, Beaver Dam Road, Grantham township.
The Planning Board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the board room of the County Administration Building, 209 S. William St., Goldsboro.