303B Annual Sign Up
The Livingston County Board of Supervisors has designated the month of September as the thirty-day annual period for submission of petitions by landowners to join an existing Agricultural District.
The Process:
• Effective September 17, 2004, the New York State Agricultural and Markets Law was amended with Section 303-b, which allows for parcels to be added into Agricultural Districts on an annual basis. Prior to 2004, landowners had to wait until an Agricultural District “opened up” for review – typically once every eight years – to request inclusion into an agricultural district. With the revision to this Law, every county that has a certified agricultural district is required to establish an annual thirty-day enrollment period for landowners to submit requests for viable agricultural, to be added to an Agricultural District. Viable agricultural land for this purpose is defined as: Land that is highly suitable for a commercial farm operation.
• The annual thirty-day enrollment period allows for landowners to submit requests to the Livingston County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board (AFPB) for viable agricultural to be added to an Agricultural District.
•Viable agricultural land for this purpose is defined as: Land that is highly suitable for a commercial farm operation.
• After the thirty-day period, the Livingston County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board (AFPB) has thirty days to review requests and report to the Livingston County Board of Supervisors its recommendation as to whether the land to be included in the Agricultural District consists predominantly of “viable agricultural land” and whether the inclusion of such land would serve the public interest by assisting in maintaining a viable agricultural industry within the district.
• The recommendation of the AFPB is forwarded to the Board of Supervisors to hold a public hearing for acceptance. After the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors sends the resolution to include new parcels into existing Agricultural Districts to the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, where the request will be reviewed and certified.
How to Apply:
• To submit properties for consideration, a landowner must submit an application packet, that includes a description of the farming activities on the land, within the thirty-day enrollment period in order to be considered for inclusion into an Agricultural District.
• The 30-Day enrollment period begins of September 1st of every year. Applications must be submitted before the enrollment period ends.
• Complete an application packet, available here: 303b Application Package or in hard copy at the Planning Department (6 Court Street – Room 305, Geneseo, NY, 14454).
• If you are unsure of your tax map number, you can look it up using the Livingston County M.A.P.
• Please Note: Requests for removal may only be granted when an Agricultural District is undergoing its eight-year review. Request for removal from an Agricultural District can NOT be processed during the 30-Day enrollment period.
• If submitting electronically, please press the "Submit Form Via Email" button on the last page of the application package. Or email a completed PDF copy to jacobkelly@livingstoncountyny.gov
• Applications may also be submitted in hard copy to the Livingston County Planning Department, 6 Court Street – Room 305, Geneseo, NY, 14454.
• Questions about the 30-day Agricultural District inclusion period can be directed to the Livingston County Planning Department at (585) 243-7550.