Dear Editor,

On March 7^th, Medina County voters will have the opportunity to take a major step toward preserving approximately 20,000 acres of undeveloped land for future generations. On that day, a ¼% sales tax increase is proposed to fund the purchase of agricultural and conservation easements – also called Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) -- throughout the county. Local governments buy all sorts of easements on a regular basis – easements for public utilities (like water or sewer lines) or easements for road access. What makes these agricultural and conservation easements unusual is that they are purchased for another legitimate public purpose – to preserve the land from future development. The proposed agricultural easements are targeted for townships with enough existing farms to ensure long term sustainability. The conservation easements are intended to supplement open-space conservation subdivision plans, regardless if they are in the cities or townships.

This is not a farm subsidy program. The PDR program is a voluntary sale of a property right by the landowner – like selling a gas, mineral or oil right – which prevents further subdivision into smaller parcels. PDR programs have been in existence since the mid-1970’s, starting in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. The federal government has been providing matching funds to local governments since 1966 for these kinds of easements to the tune of $35 million each year. In fact, Ohio Senator Mike DeWine has cosponsored S. 333 which expands this Farmland Protection program to $55 million annually. Because of the availability of public funds like this, as of February 1999 over 715,000 acres in 19 states are protected from future development in conservation easement programs. In every state where it exists, there are more landowners interested in selling their development rights than money available for their respective programs. Medina County’s proposed PDR program would be the first in the State of Ohio.

Some local officials have stated that there are other tools available to manage our growth and help save farm and rural land from development. Indeed, the Medina County Farmland Preservation Task Force made 10 separate recommendations intended to help preserve agriculture and better manage future development. The plan is a comprehensive approach to the problem of diminishing farm and rural lands in the county. While the PDR proposal was just one of the ten recommendations, it is the most powerful tool available to the county. None of the other suggested tools would have the same immediate impact like PDR. The proposed PDR program is our county’s strongest and most immediate tool for preserving undeveloped land for future generations of farmers and county residents.

Please consider these facts in making your decision on the proposed sales tax increase to preserve 20,000 acres of undeveloped land. I urge you to join me, Medina County Auditor Mike Kovach and others concerned with the fast pace of growth in supporting the sales tax issue on March 7^th. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Stephen D. Hambley, Ph.D.
Medina County Commissioner
(H) 330-225-0436 (W) 330-225-7100

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The committee SLOW THE GROWTH, organized to pass the sales tax levy to conserve agricultural land and open space, will hold a rally in support of the sales tax on Thursday, February 24th at 5 pm at Buckeye High School.  All supporters of the levy are invited to attend for the final push one and a half weeks before election!   Medina County loses 40 acres per week to development!  SLOW THE GROWTH, vote YES! on the sales tax levy!