FORMULATING AND EVALUATING AGRICULTURAL ZONING PROGRAMS

Agricultural zoning, the most common method of preventing the development of agricultural land, is the method that holds the most promise for protecting a major portion of the nation's farmland. This article reports on data and analyses necessary to formulate effective, politically acceptable, and legally sound agricultural zoning programs. Because agricultural zoning is intended to protect a resource (unlike more typical zoning that is intended to give order to development), it is first necessary to demonstrate that the land constitutes a valuable natural resource whose protection is in the public interest. The ordinance must be strong enough to make possible the continuation of agriculture and yet must permit enough development that the program will be accepted politically and can withstand legal challenges. The effectiveness of agricultural zoning can be evaluated by examining changes in ownership and sales patterns following adoption of agricultural zoning. © American Planning Association Chicago, IL.