Sec. 36111b.

(1) An application submitted under section 36111(10) for purchase of development rights or acquisition of agricultural conservation easements shall be evaluated and ranked according to selection criteria and a scoring system approved by the commission of agriculture. In developing a point system for selecting the parcels for purchase of development rights or the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements, the department of agriculture shall seek the assistance of the department of natural resources, Michigan state university, the United States department of agriculture-natural resources conservation service, and other appropriate professional and industry organizations. The selection criteria shall give consideration to the quality and physical characteristics of the parcel as well as surrounding land uses and threat of development.

(2) The department of agriculture shall prepare a notification to those individuals whose farmland development rights agreements are expiring in the year of application or expiring 1 year after the year of application. The notice shall be completed not less than 90 days before an application deadline set by the department of agriculture and shall include written information and details regarding the program. Applications for the purchase of development rights or the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements shall be submitted to the department of agriculture by the owner of that land and must include written support by the local governing body.

(3) In developing a scoring system, points shall be given to farmland that meets 1 or more of the following criteria, with subdivision (a) given priority over subdivisions (b) to (e):

(a) Productive capacity of farmland suited for the production of feed, food, and fiber, including, but not limited to, prime or unique farmland or farmland of local importance, as defined by the United States department of agriculture-natural resources conservation service.

(b) Lands that are enrolled under this act.

(c) Prime agricultural lands that are faced with development pressure that will permanently alter the ability for that land to be used for productive agricultural activity.

(d) Parcels that would complement and are part of a documented, long-range effort or plan for land preservation by the local governing body.

(e) Parcels with available matching funds from the local governing body, private organizations, or other sources.

(4) For purposes of subsections (7) and (8), the value of development rights in the purchase of development rights or the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements shall be determined by subtracting the current fair market value of the property without the development rights from the current fair market value of the property with all development rights.

(5) The director of the department of agriculture shall approve individual parcels for the purchase of development rights or the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements based upon the adopted selection criteria and scoring process. The commission of agriculture shall approve a method to establish the price to be paid for the purchase of development rights or the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements, such as via appraisal, bidding, or a formula-based process and shall establish the maximum price to be paid on a per purchase basis from the lien fund. The director of the department of agriculture, after negotiations with the landowner, shall approve the price to be paid for purchase of development rights or the acquisition of the agricultural conservation easements. Proper releases from mortgage holders and lienholders must be obtained and executed to ensure that all development rights are purchased free and clear of all encumbrances.

(6) The department may purchase the agricultural conservation easement through an installment purchase agreement under terms negotiated by the department.

(7) An agricultural conservation easement shall include appropriate provisions for the protection of the farmland and other unique and critical benefits. An agricultural conservation easement may be terminated if the land, as determined by the commission of agriculture, meets 1 or more of the criteria described in section 36111a(1)(a) to (d). An agricultural conservation easement or portion of an agricultural conservation easement shall not be terminated unless approved by the local governing body and the commission of natural resources and the commission of agriculture. If an agricultural conservation easement is terminated, the current fair market value of the development rights, at the time of termination, shall be paid to the state land use agency. Any payment received by the state land use agency under this part shall be used to acquire agricultural conservation easements on additional farmland under section 36111(10).

(8) Whenever a public entity, authority, or political subdivision exercises the power of eminent domain and condemns land enrolled under this act, the value of the land shall include the value of development rights covered by development rights agreements or agricultural conservation easements. If the development rights have been purchased or agricultural conservation easements have been acquired under section 36111(10), the value of the development rights at the time of condemnation shall be paid to the state land use agency and any payment received by the state land use agency shall be used to acquire agricultural conservation easements on additional land under section 36111(10).

History: Add. 1996, Act 233, Imd. Eff. June 5, 1996 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 262, Imd. Eff. June 29, 2000 Popular Name: Act 451Popular Name: Farmland and Open SpacePopular Name: NREPA