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The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act has placed highly restrictive regulations on approximately 400,000 acres of land within the area designated for preservation in the Highlands region. These restrictions have resulted in immediate loss of land values which, based upon recent Farmland Preservation application appraisals for lands in the preservation area, may be reduced by as much as 80% of the pre-Highlands Act value.

To determine the amount of dedicated funding needed there must be an accurate analysis of the amount of land in the preservation area that has been impacted by loss of value. In determining the acreage of lands impacted, woodlands and C1 stream corridors must be included as these lands are included when development easement or fee simple farmland purchases are made by the CADBs and the SADC under the Farmland Preservation Program.

Various estimates of the amounts of land impacted and funding needed have been put forth and may not accurately reflect the land use status.

The Warren County Planning Department conducted an analysis of farmland acreage using already existing data. By conducting the same analysis in each county impacted by the Highlands Act, an appropriate and reasonably accurate database will be quickly available for the entire Highlands Act region.

By utilizing average easement purchase per acre values for each county, the database may then be used to develop a more accurate estimate of funding needed to compensate property owners in the Highlands Preservation Area for their loss of land value.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the delegates to the 90th State Agricultural Convention, assembly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, January 24-26, 2005, request the Department of Agriculture to promptly secure farmland assessment data to determine the amount of farmland for all counties in the Highlands Act area and that a summary of land use and acreage involved in the preservation area be promptly prepared and distributed for review and concurrence by the respective County Agricultural Development Boards, County Boards of Agriculture and other concerned groups and individuals.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that from these data a more accurate estimate of needed funding be developed for review and concurrence again by these same county level groups and individuals. The resulting acreage and land value loss estimates may than be presented to the Legislature and other appropriate funding authorities to establish the needed dedicated fund to protect property owners from loss of value caused by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we request this process be initiated promptly upon approval of this resolution and be targeted for completion by March 15, 2005.