By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS – Cass County commissioners voted 11-4 Thursday to approve the proposed 30-page Farmland and Open Space Preservation Ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission.
Proponents said southwest Michigan ranks in the top 11 percent in the United States in rate of farmland loss.
Conversion of farm ground to residential and commercial uses continues at a rate of 10 acres per hour, every hour of every day.
Almost four years in the making, the motion by Ann File was supported by Chairman Bob Wagel, John Cureton, Johnie Rodebush, Debbie Johnson, Robert Ziliak, Ed Goodman, Cathy Goodenough, Gordon Bickel, Charlie Arnold and David Taylor.
Opposed were Carl Higley, Vice Chairman Ron Francis, Minnie Warren and Bill Steele.
The intent of the Cass County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program is to protect eligible farmland by purchasing development rights voluntarily offered for purchase by landowners and placing conservation easements on these properties that restrict future development, as allowed by P.A. 110 of 2006.
Commissioners can appoint a separate Cass County Land Preservation Board to report directly to them that determines values and payments.
"I'd like to take this opportunity to present a minority point of view," Francis said.
"If nothing else, some issues to stimulate a little debate. The whole concept of public money being spent to purchase development rights with an indirect goal of aiding anyone's retirement is just foreign to me – maybe because I come from a non-ag business background."
Francis continued in the "contrarian" vein. "I think it's unwise. The program is in perpetuity. Can anyone today tell me what our needs are going to be in 25, 50 or 100 years from now?"
Francis represents four townships. He said two support the ordinance, one opposes it and the other falls somewhere in between.
"If you happen to be a farmer in a sponsoring township, you're a lucky guy," Francis said. "If you're not, you can't participate," which strikes him as "preferential. Eastern states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania have very dense populations and urban sprawl. We're certainly not confronted with that. The county population is flat. Populations in Dowagiac and Cassopolis have actually declined. The area around the lakes is pretty much fully developed. I question the necessity of this. Lastly, what we need to be doing is encouraging more development. We need jobs and tax revenue. I fully expect this ordinance to pass, but I feel I would be remiss if I didn't attempt to debate this."
"I'm in total agreement with Mr. Francis," Steele said, "and I did grow up on a farm. I believe it's time for farms to become businesses, not tax shelters. We do give farmers quite a few different protections, but now we're crossing the line and promoting ag and excluding other people, with the potential of being abused by large containment farms. It's taxpayer dollars we're using here to create an unfair market. We don't need more welfare."
Bickel said the ordinance "troubled" him personally, but, "I won't stand in the way of anyone who wants it."
Goodman, who voted for the ordinance, stated, "Preserving agricultural land makes economic sense even from the point of view of governmental services. Farmland does not require the extent of services that residential, commercial and industrial uses do. Farming does not require an extensive transportation network, public water, sewer, police and fire services. The purpose of farmland preservation is to protect productive farms, and with the push for biodiesel and ethanol fuels, we'll need all the farmland we can get."
Goodman said the ordinance also respects the county master plan's vision for "rural character."
"If you look at Silver Creek, where I'm from, 86 percent of respondents agree that agricultural areas of the township are enjoyable; 77 percent of the residents felt that preserving farmland was important for the township; 45 percent said loss of farmland to new homes was already a problem in Silver Creek Township; and 95 percent agreed that these natural features were important to the character of the township," Goodman said.
"It's voluntary," Goodman said. "Nobody has to do it. It promotes concentrations of population in appropriate areas and lessens urban sprawl development which would lead to increased inefficiencies and supports existing efforts to cooperatively plan communities and maintains quality hunting, fishing and recreational opportunities, which are very important to Cass County. It will retain large blocs of open space, including woodlands, wetlands and wildlife habitats to protect the natural environment of the county, including protection of lakes, streams and underground aquifers."