Orleans to add 137 acres to agricultural district

Photos by Tom Rivers: Some crows rest on bales of straw in a field on Culvert Road near Route 31 in Ridgeway. This photo was taken while it was raining on July 17.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 July 2021 at 3:22 pm

ALBION – Orleans County is looking to increase the size of its agricultural district by 137 acres. There is currently about 117,000 acres in the ag district, which represents 47 percent of the county’s land mass.

Each year, property owners have an opportunity to add land to the district. Once every eight years, property owners have a chance to remove land from the district. The next change to take out acreage will be in 2024.

The County Legislature on Wednesday held a public hearing on additions to the ag district. The following parcels have been recommended for inclusion in the district by the Orleans County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board:

36 acres of vacant residential land at 4552 Bennetts Corners Rd., Clarendon
25.88 acres of vacant agricultural land on Main Street in the Town of Murray
20.13 acres of residential and vacant land at Eagle Harbor-West Barre Road in Albion
9.98 acres of field crops at 1614 Petersmith Rd. in Kendall
24.66 acres of a rural residence and acreage at 1614 Petersmith Rd. in Kendall
20.65 acres of residential vacant land at 1051 Wilson Rd. in Carlton

The expanded ag district needs a final vote of approval from the County Legislature, as well as the state Department of Agricultural and Markets.