Media Story

Vital tool for preserving farmland

By PERRY LINDQUIST

Posted: April 16, 2006

Purchasing development rights in Washington County will not raise the price of housing and pit builders and developers against farmers and the county, as columnist Patrick McIlheran asserted ("Farm-field views impose a trade-off," March 29). If that was the case, builders and realty groups would not have weighed in to support the idea.

Purchasing development rights, or PDRs, have proved to be an effective tool to help implement local land use plans in agricultural areas by offering landowners an alternative to selling to the highest bidder. This in turn makes local agricultural zoning more effective, prevents land use conflicts near working farms and helps the community realize its land use vision.

PDR encourages investment in a robust industry that is already here - agriculture - still one of the top employers in Washington County.

According to a recent University of Wisconsin Extension report, agriculture in Washington County:

• Provides almost 5,000 jobs.

• Accounts for $629.9 million in economic activity.

• Contributes $202.3 million to the county's total income.

• Pays $20.7 million in local and state taxes.

Dedicating portions of the county to one of its top industries makes good economic sense, especially when one considers a future bio-economy. But this is not the only reason the Washington County PDR Task Force recommended it.

Prime farmland and open space also help replenish our local drinking water supplies, provide wildlife habitat, prevent downstream flooding, serve local food markets and preserve our rural heritage and scenic Kettle Moraine vistas.

For critics to allege that this innovative farmland preservation tool will restrict the supply of buildable land shows they have not read the task force's report or have chosen the easy route of myth-peddling.

The task force recommended basing the entire PDR program on the projected growth of communities and adopted land use plans. Local community support is one of the stated criteria for any land to be eligible for funding under the proposed voluntary program.

This process ensures that there is ample land reserved for future growth, in an orderly fashion. Since the planned growth areas are well documented, it can occur with less controversy - a scenario supported by builders and real estate agents.

Farmland preservation in Wisconsin is not new. We have had a statewide program since 1978. Because the effectiveness of the current program has been limited, PDR is currently being considered for statewide application. If this is done, we would join 27 other states.

I congratulate the Washington County Board for its leadership and vision on March 14 when it embraced the recommendations of the task force. This action will help set a course for the future of Washington County that will be appreciated by generations to come.

Perry Lindquist of Slinger served as the vice chairman of the Washington County PDR Task Force and is co-author of the task force report. He previously served as the head of the Washington County Land Conservation Department.

To learn more about farmland preservation, PDRs and the recommendations of the task force, see the Web site for the Land Conservation Partnership of Washington County at www.lcpwc.org