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That's what members of the public told the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Wednesday regarding Agricultural II rezonings and selloffs.
The planners have been studying the issues of sell-offs of property to first-generation children after the parents owned the property for at least five years; changing the exempt acreage from 20 acres to 40 acres (or 80 acres as some suggested); reducing by one the number of allowed sell-offs of a parcel of land as it stood in March 1975; and changing the Ag II rezoning requirements.
According to part of the current Kosciusko County ordinance, a subdivision is defined as the division of any parcel of land shown as a unit prior to March 1, 1975, into four or more parcels. The division of land into parcels of 20 acres or more in size is not considered a subdivision under the current ordinances and is considered an exemption from the requirements of the ordinance.
Under the proposed revised ordinance, the 20-acre exemption under the definition of subdivision would be increased to 40 or 80 acres.
An Ag II district allows for the development of some tracts of ground into low density, rural atmosphere residential subdivisions.
The plan commission also agreed that a meeting between themselves, the zoning board, the county council and the county commissioners to discuss the issues also would be beneficial.
At the end of the public meeting regarding the issues, County Commissioner Ron Truex said he could assure the people that "we can have such a meeting" with the groups. "If the groups all get together, we can do a better job of representing the residents of this county," he said.
Dan Richard, Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission director, said that since February's meeting, the county commissioners have amended some county ordinances based on plan commission recommendations. However, the issues of sell-offs, Ag II and exempt acreage were tabled to this month for more discussion.
Vic Virgil, plan commission chairman, opened the meeting to the public with the issue of changing the exemption from 20 to 80 acres. He asked anyone opposed to going to 80 acres to speak up first.
Greg Mitchell said farmers want protection for agricultural land but if they want that, he suggested they form a co-op and protect the farmland.
Purchasing property, he said, is "part of our bundle of rights." If the plan commission increases the exemption to 80 acres, they are dictating property rights, he said. "Why should that American dream ... be deprived by bumping it to 40 or 80 (acres)?"
His recommendation, he said, is "to table it. Form a committee. Try to come up with an idea."
Rebeckah Kelly also opposed the increase in the exemption.
"I want a place in the country to raise my son," she said. She said the purpose of requiring a person to buy more and more land seems to be self-defeating. If farmland is being lost, she asked, why should they be required to buy more?
Disagreeing with the previous speakers, Dennis Boggs said if it weren't for his father, he wouldn't be farming today. Land prices are going up and farmland needs to be saved.
"I think 40 acres would be a good one-time purchase with one sell-off," said farmer Gordon Vanator.
Gary Bailey said in the future, he'd also like to reserve his right to sell property to his children "because it's mine."
He said he supported the idea of having 40 acres as the exemption with two sell-offs, which cannot be more than two acres each.
"Eighty acres is too big. Twenty acres is too small," he said.
Kip Tom said the county has been looking at these issues for 10 years and the county "needs to take a longer look at planning and the implications of building in the country." He also said outside help needs to be brought in to look at the county's land issues.
The purpose of the ag district, John Anglin said, is to protect agriculture. As the number of houses in the country increases, he said, it's becoming more difficult for farmers and those in Ag business to do their jobs.
He recommended limiting the number of sell-offs and had no problem with increasing the exemption to 80 acres.
Max Deatsman recommended the allowed number of sell-offs be cut down to one.
Bob Bishop said the county should get professional help to make decisions on the issues being presented.
Kelly Easterday, plan commission member, said the county's comprehensive plan is supposed to be the guiding document for the county's growth and is supposed to help her make decisions. However, the county's ordinances don't complement the comprehensive plan and one or the other needs to be changed.
As for property rights, she said, if a person has a right to sell their property, farmers have a right to farm their land. "Whose right is more important?"
Also, she said, the plan commission is not against growth, though they hear that complaint often. They just want controlled and orderly growth.
She said the BZA, APC and commissioners need to sit down and discuss how they are going to proceed next.
Commission members Charlie Haffner and county surveyor Richard Kemper agreed.
Kemper also said while the intent of Ag II was good, it has outlived its usefulness. Kevin McSherry, plan commission, agreed Ag II needs to go away.
