How do you use the right to farm act to Protect your property?

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Our County Assessor has absolutely nothing to do with zoning. That is up to the city or town council or the county supervisors, and to my knowledge is never done for an individual parcel, unless the parcel is quite large or has a location that would place it on the edge of one zoning district. How the land is taxed here is a complicated math issue combined with local election decisions and a bunch of unknown mumbo-jumbo. Really, I tried to figure out how it is figured for our property, and could not make the least headway into even coming up with an equation.

 

[4 the Birds]

Our County Assessor has absolutely nothing to do with zoning. That is up to the city or town council or the county supervisors, and to my knowledge is never done for an individual parcel, unless the parcel is quite large or has a location that would place it on the edge of one zoning district. How the land is taxed here is a complicated math issue combined with local election decisions and a bunch of unknown mumbo-jumbo. Really, I tried to figure out how it is figured for our property, and could not make the least headway into even coming up with an equation.

As I said.... The County Assessor is your contact person to tell you what is needed to meet a zoning requirement (or zoning exemption). The town council has the final say. The County Assessor has "field people" that can meet with you to look at your place. The County Assessor determines value of your land and this ties in with how your land is used and the structures on your land. A property zoned as AG will be taxed differently that the same property zoned residential. The County Assessor does not determine the tax structures and tax amounts but for sure can tell you how you are zoned and the procedure to be rezoned.

The standard procedure is that when you apply for rezoning, a letter will be sent from the town/county planner to all your surrounding neighbors with a public hearing date. You will have to show that you have met the zoning requirements and the town council will vote to approve or deny your rezoning. Been there done that!

 

[informative]

Yes in most counties in America it is 10+ acres for a farm and as RedneckGurl says in some cases 5 for a half-mini-farm.

I'd like to see the size requirement come down because over time perspectives change, land prices go up, 5 acres to any city dweller is huge and most riding mowers for example are designed to mow 3 acres max.

 

[RedneckGurl]

Heck, I have a John Deere lawn tractor and it takes me two days to mow my 2 acres...and that is mowing and trimming ALL DAY LONG for two days. I can't imagine mowing any more than that with my mower -- I'd have to get something much larger. I agree with you, informative, that the size requirements for qualification for farm or mini-farm should be lowered. These days not many people can afford even as much land as we have, much less 5-10 acres, and it's becoming harder and harder to find tracts that large anyway.

 

[4 the Birds]

Heck, I have a John Deere lawn tractor and it takes me two days to mow my 2 acres...and that is mowing and trimming ALL DAY LONG for two days. I can't imagine mowing any more than that with my mower -- I'd have to get something much larger. I agree with you, informative, that the size requirements for qualification for farm or mini-farm should be lowered. These days not many people can afford even as much land as we have, much less 5-10 acres, and it's becoming harder and harder to find tracts that large anyway.

A "Dixie chopper" type or zero turn mower is the only way to go if you mow over 1 acre. Those garden tractor mowers are just waaay too slow. Our dixie travels 10 mph and I can mow 3 acres is just a few hours. A 50hp field tractor with 6 ft bush hog handles the fence rows and fields.

 

[RedneckGurl]

Quote:
I had considered a zero-turn mower but with some of the landscaping I plan on doing in the next year or so, they are just too wide to get into a lot of the places that my John Deere can. But I agree....the speed on my John Deere is like a snail's pace compared to a zero turn. I am considering getting a larger version of the John Deere lawn tractor (X series) that runs faster and also has the motorized attachments like a tiller and a front loader.

 

[4 the Birds]

I had considered a zero-turn mower but with some of the landscaping I plan on doing in the next year or so, they are just too wide to get into a lot of the places that my John Deere can. But I agree....the speed on my John Deere is like a snail's pace compared to a zero turn. I am considering getting a larger version of the John Deere lawn tractor (X series) that runs faster and also has the motorized attachments like a tiller and a front loader.

Ah... I run the zero-turn as well as a push mower for the pond edges and hard to get spots. I love John Deere tractors (I have the 5054 with 4x4). That X series tractor with a loader and tiller will cost a pretty penny! You may consider spending your 5 grand on a new zero turn and the other 10 on a small used utility tractor with loader/tiller. The X series would do the job but not nearly as well as the zero-turn and a utility tractor. Of course the X series will save you barn space.

 

[floridagirl13]

All tractor talk aside, that is I beautiful photo. Kind of a "picture yourself here" thing

 

[informative]

yeah my pond is mostly surrounded by trees which makes it drain faster. I'm torn between wanting it to stay full year round but not wanting to lose all of those wonderful trees. I plan to add a paddle boat just like that though.

While tractors are up for discussion - I looked at some zero turns and they don't appear to claim to have enough HP most of them. Like I was at sears a few days ago looking and they had the 26 HP regular riding mower ($2200 normally 2700) and right next to it they had the zero turn $2900 and was only 24 HP. I'm more concerned about can it mow slightly moist sticky tumbleweed piney/tar rope weeds going uphill (5 or 10 degree slope) with a 250 pound rider. My last riding mower had to ride uphill and then mow on the downhill because it was just too much work for a 20 HP to handle uphill mowing unless I hire a 90 pound jockey to do my mowing..

 

[RedneckGurl]

Yes, floridagirl, I was gazing longingly at 4 the Birds pictures, especially the pond. I want a pond so bad I can taste it but digging one and setting it up so it doesn't drain and/or dry up is a very expensive proposition. I have the perfect place too...a low spot in the lower right corner of my property where all the rain naturally drains to....unfortunately, we also have soil that seems to drain pretty well. For now I just have to admire other people's ponds.