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1. Planning and Zoning Strategies for Protecting
Indianas Farmland
2. Brad Buening
Planning degreeBSU
15 yearslocal government
Land Use Specialist, IFB
Bridge gap between political/ag
Local Planning
3. Local Planning Initial charge
Work with ISDA
Research existing ag ordinances
Compile list
Create model zoning ordinances
Allow locals to pick and choose
4. Local Planning Not self-proclaimed expert
Work experience in planning/local govt
Agriculture background
Opportunity to visit and review local ord
5. Local Planning Visited counties with P & Z
Reviewed approx. 30 proposed ordinances
Have seen the good, bad, and ugly of zoning
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The counties that are proactive are working
70% of job has been reactive, but effective
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Quick refresher course on
Indiana Zoning
8. Local Planning Types of Plan Commissions
Metro (1)
Area (32)
Advisory (46)
None (13)
9. Local Planning Zoning Ordinance
Actual law/enforceable
Various zoning districts (ag, res, com,ind)
Permitted by rightNo public hearings
Special exceptionmeet specific criteria
Developmental standards (setbacks, coverage, density, height, or area)
10. Local Planning Local Government Process
Zoning districts are created
Residential
Commercial
Agricultural
Industrial
Open space
11. Local Planning Local Government Process
Uses are pigeon-holed in districts
K.I.S.S. may not apply
Ethanol plant
Bio-diesel plant
Better separation needed
Need sub-districts
Residential is good example
12. Local Planning Local Government Process
Special exceptions are created
Unique uses
Not needed if sub-districts are created
13. Local Planning Local Government Process
Developmental Standards established
Setbacks (front, side, rear)
Height
Area
Density
14. Local Planning Local Government Process
Public Hearings
Petition
Advertise
Notify
Hearing
Adopt
Record
15. Local Planning Planning and Zoning Issues (that I see)
Farm vs. Non-farm conflicts
Burden on farmer vs. residents
SE for farmer (backwards)
Agricultural clausefor homes in ag area
Livelihood vs. recreational (choice)
16. Local Planning I want to keep ag uses from SE (BZA)
Emotional
Time consuming
Expensive
Based on subjective criteria
Noise, odor, property values, water usage
Hard to measure, expensive, staff, time
Ag zones should allow Ag uses
17. Local Planning What is AG land?
Anything Goes
Agriculture
18. Local Planning Model Zoning Ordinance
Not one size fits all concept
Sliding-scale development (2 versions)
Multiple agricultural districts
Farm preservation
Other methods being used
19. Local Planning Researched several zoning concepts
Reviewed pros and cons
Created hybrids by combining concepts
20. Local Planning Sliding-scale (version I)
Larger lots are allowed more development
Larger remainder for viable farmland
Residential (2ac max)
Ag clause
Contiguous to one another
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If you add language that say contiguous
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29. Local Planning Sliding-scale (version II)
Target smaller tracts
Under 20 acres (already ruined)
These tracts can be subdivided aggressively
Residential (2ac max)
Ag clause
Contiguous to one another
30. Local Planning These lots were created by earlier methods
Counties thought 15-20 ac would preserve
It only converted faster
31. Local Planning 20-acre minimum
Does not work
Drives price/acre up
Takes land out of production faster
Leaves weeds and mess
Farmer wont come in for 10-12 acres
Max acreage works better
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33. Local Planning 3 highlighted lots could net 9-10 lots
Reduced pressure from viable farmland
Allowed housing in country setting
Made the best of a bad situation
34. Local Planning Another hybrid would be a flat rate
Allow X # of splits for each parent tract
Can incorporate ag clause/contiguous
Can control amount of growth
35. Local Planning Multiple agricultural districts
Row crop farming (A-1)
CAFO/CFO (A-2)
Agri-business (A-3)
Residential-ag (A-4)
Ag park (A-5)
36. Local Planning Reduce land use conflicts;
Maintain property rights;
Efficient use of infrastructure
37. Local Planning Another simple variation is an A-2
Housing only on small lot (2ac max)
Need rezone/SE
Prove to APC/BZA wont harm A-1
Personally did this last week
Point system
Land use, density, soil types, etc.
38. Local Planning Farm preservation
PDR/TDR/LDR
Infill incentives
Mitigation (developers 2:1)
Cluster development
Conservation easements (vol)
Bargain Sale
39. Local Planning PDR/TDR/LDR
Great theory
Farmer gets 401K
Young farmer able to purchase at farm rate
Infrastructure not taxed
Control growth areas
Hard to track administratively
GIS makes it easier
40. Local Planning Infill incentive
Tax abatement on skipped over land
Higher densities
Adjacent to infrastructure
Lessen pressure on farm land
41. Local Planning Developer mitigation
Incentivizing development near city
Penalize for hop-scotching around
Trip-generation causing pollution
Closer, less pollution
Put a monetary figure to it
42. Local Planning Cluster development (Open Space)
Keeping adjacent/contiguous
Not hop-scotching
Higher density
Preserve farm land
Sensitive area
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46. Local Planning Conservation easements
Voluntary action by land owner
Preserves in perpetuity
Tax incentive
Young farmer encouragement
Long runcreate larger tracts
47. Local Planning Bargain sales
Selling land below fair market value
Difference is charitable contribution
Great way to initiate a land trust
48. Local Planning Other options
Ag clause
BMP/additional DS
Point system
Fences, septics, wells, mailboxes, driveways,
49. Local Planning Most of these options are still just band-aids
Multiple zones & TDR/PDR are broader
Separate land uses
Longevity (create trends)
Others will face again with more houses/CAFO
50. Local Planning Local flavor and politics will determine:
What to use
When to use it
Where to use it
How to use it
51. Local Planning Biggest concern:
Multiple zone adoption
No new zones created
Have to rezone 1 by 1
52. Local Planning Glad to review wording
Assist in ordinance revisions
Compile other county language
53. Local Planning Brad Buening
Land Use Specialist
317.692.7886 office
317.460.3785 cell
bbuening@infarmbureau.org