Sounds like time for a face to face meeting with the city planners. Be sure to bring the 2010 Planning Guideline with its statement "not unreasonably restrict[ing] small farm projects.... "
It may be that you can use existing topographic maps to show drainage. Make sure that the city planners know that you are going to be using tractors, not permanent structures, so you will not be resurfacing the land to any extent or altering natural, existing drainage. I'm not sure the city properly understands the extent of what you intend. On hte other hand, it sounds like they may be deliberately obstructing your use of the land, and that may well be illegal.
Quote: Exactly. They seemed like they were working with you... but THEY knew what they were up to, $10000 costs... THEY knew all that and just sat back and waited for you to figure it out... helping small farmers my foot.
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We already had a face to face meeting with the town planning officer, we aren't in the city (the Town of Plattsburgh and the City of Plattsburgh are two completely different entities), all of this happened after we had already met with him and clearly stated what we were planning on doing. He brought up the planning guidelines without us prompting him, so he is aware of them.
Quote: Exactly. They seemed like they were working with you... but THEY knew what they were up to, $10000 costs... THEY knew all that and just sat back and waited for you to figure it out... helping small farmers my foot.
Yah, but bringing a suite against the town would cost even more money
Perhaps get a second opinion? It seems to me if the engineer is interested in buying the land from you, he might be trying to make it seem impossible for you to comply, to drive you out so he can get the land. Ya know? Ulterior motives and all that?
Local governments, when exercising their powers to enact and administer comprehensive plans and local laws, ordinances, rules or regulations, shall exercise these powers in such manner as may realize the policy and goals set forth in this article [Article 25-AA of the Agriculture and Markets Law], and shall not unreasonably restrict or regulate farm operations within agricultural districts in contravention of the purposes of this article unless it can be shown that the public health or safety is threatened.
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Yah I would, but if we don't use the same office we would probably have to have the survey redone. That would probably bring the total to beyond $10,000. Plus I use to work in a real estate office, if they want drainage plans and all the other maps they mentioned $10,000 sounds about right for a price. Because to do a drainage map they will probably need to do soil testing.
It sounds like the town wants an environmental impact study done which in that case 10 grand is deffinetly within the ball park. The engineer gave the price of $4,500 but said that when everything is all said and done our final price could be as high as $10,000. Still, even $4,500 is to much for us, so it doesn't matter if its $4,500 or $10,000 it is just to much money to spend on maps for a hobby farm. We need that money for the animal housing and fencing.
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Yah I have looked over this before and there are two points against use. 1. we are not in an ag district even though our land borders one and 2. they could say that all of these hurdles are to ensure that the public's health and saftey are not threatened. (even though a stray dog is more of a threat then our little farm.)