COALITION FOR AGRICULTURE'S FUTURE
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Conditional Use Permits Are The Problem
The Coalition believes fully in the economic and cultural values that are part and parcel of agriculture and is committed to seeing those values preserved and protected for future generations. In a perfect world, that would mean farmland would forever remain just that.
But we also recognize that growth and development is a normal, essential part of any society. As communities grow, land is going to be needed for new industries and residential development. In Idaho, most communities are surrounded by lands zoned for agricultural use. Therefore, any new development in non-agriculture use means agriculture must provide the land necessary for that to take place. That is necessary and proper as communities mature and grow.
Let us be clear. The Coalition does not oppose the expansion of development into productive farmland provided the growth and development is properly managed.
Good management is based on specific land use zoning that strictly controls to what use land can be used and sets down a stringent set of qualifications, including public involvement, that must be met before those uses can be changed. It is procedure specifically intended to provide citizens a degree of protection against land use abuse and poor planning.
However, in recent years a situation has developed that causes us great concern. It is a tactic in which local government approves Conditional Use Permits that let developers essentially use the "planned community" CUP category to end-run land use rezoning restrictions and ignore or disregard comprehensive plans. Conditional Use Permits allow local government to authorize the creation of land uses that are not authorized under zoning rules.
The result has been a steady increase in "spot development," situations in which residential developments are dropped willy-nilly into the middle of productive farmland rather than being part of the normal outward growth of a community.
For example. Zoning rules for lands zoned "Agriculture" dictate that parcels less than 80 acres in size can contain only two residential lots. Under zoning rules, a residential subdivision would not be allowed. But an 80-acre "planned community" approved via a conditional use permit could allow small subdivision size lots resulting in hundreds of homes.
It is a practice used in only a handful of Idaho counties, including Canyon County which has lost more than a quarter of its agricultural land to development in just the past 15 years.
Coalition For Agriculture’s Future ~ 55 SW 5th Ave, Suite 100, Meridian, ID 83642
208) 888-0988 - Fax (208) 888-4586 ~ Email: Info@agsfuture.org