News

July 5, 2008

Preserved property program growing

With reassessment, 600-plus already added to Clean and Green’s raw-land list.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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More than 600 Luzerne County properties have been added to the Clean and Green land preservation program in recent weeks, and more are expected as the countywide reassessment puts current values on vacant land.

Traditionally, vacant land had been assessed too low in the county, officials say.

Under Clean and Green, a parcel that contains 10 or more acres is not assessed at its value in the real estate market.

Instead, the value is based on the property’s worth as agriculture, woodland, pasture or open-space land. The state created the program to encourage the preservation of raw land.

County officials have predicted high interest in the program because of reassessment. The new assessed value notices estimate the amount of taxes that will be paid with and without participation in Clean and Green for eligible property owners.

Only 185 properties had been in the program before the 600 were added. At least 7,000 more property owners are eligible.

Three general categories of land qualify for the program:

• Agricultural use: It must be devoted to agriculture, including beekeeping, the growing of flowers and cultivation of grapes.

• Forest reserve: Land capable of producing at least 25-cubic-feet-per-acre of timber per year.

• Agricultural reserve: Undeveloped land that must be available to the public for outdoor recreation or enjoyment, including wetland.

The main question from interested property owners has been whether signing oil and gas leases will prevent them from participating, said Anne Marie Paddock, who oversees Clean and Green in the county assessor’s office.

Paddock said the county will allow a delivery pipeline but no structures or commercial buildings related to the drilling operation.

“The philosophy is we’ll allow the harvesting as long as it doesn’t trigger a physical change to the property,” she said.

Another frequent question is whether timbering is allowed. Timbering is permissible, but new replacement trees must be planted, Paddock said.

Some prospective participants are concerned about the public-use requirement for agricultural reserve space, Paddock said.

The owner may not charge for public access or post “no trespassing” signs. However, the property owner can “reasonably” limit public access in order to prevent damage to the property or danger to individuals, such as prohibiting hunting, firearms, all-terrain vehicles and fishing, Paddock said.

All or some of the money saved through the tax break must be repaid if property owners decide to sell the land for development. That way, property owners can’t enjoy the break and then suddenly sell the land for a housing development.

The reduced Clean and Green assessment applies to local, county and school taxes.

The deadline to apply has been extended to Oct. 15. A $50 non-refundable application fee is required, and it takes about eight weeks for the county to decide if properties are accepted.

Agricultural properties that contain less than 10 acres may also participate if the owners demonstrate annually that at least $2,000 in gross income is produced from crops or other agriculture on that land, Paddock said.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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