Since it’s inception, The Fayette Alliance has strongly supported the efforts of LFUCG Purchase of Development Right program. View the Alliance’s Position Statements for Fiscal Year 2009 and Fiscal Year 2010. We congratulate the PDR program on a job well done in preserving our irreplaceable Bluegrass landscape.
Preservation recognition
Excerpt from www.Kentucky.com, Opinion Editorial, posted September 30, 2009
In Kentucky, we often turn to the beauty of this place to salve our wounded souls when socio-economic shortcomings land us in low regard. So, how nice to get national recognition for protecting that very landscape. That’s what happened when Lexington-Fayette County got a nod for protecting its landscape in the current issue of Planning, the publication of the American Planning Association… Read more at Kentucky.com
Press Release from At Large Councilmember Linda Gorton
In the August/September edition of Planning, the magazine of the American Planning Association, Lexington-Fayette County was listed among a handful of the nation’s top counties for preserving farmland. Lexington was among the ranks of Baltimore County, Maryland, Marin and Sonoma counties in California and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
“It is very significant that the Lexington-Fayette County Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program is recognized as a nationally known, mature, successful farmland preservation program,” said Billy Van Pelt, Program Director of Lexington-Fayette County PDR.
A local comprehensive plan and growth boundaries are both components of the most effective farmland conservation easement programs. PDR in Fayette County began in 2000 with both of these components in place, as well as a minimum lot size of 40 acres to qualify for the program.
“Fayette County’s nationally acclaimed PDR program protects our farmland, which is the basis of our thriving agricultural economy,” said Margaret Graves, Chair of the Rural Land Management Board.
Currently Fayette County has 23,167 acres of preserved farmland, 11 blocks of which are 1,000 or more acres.
“Our success to date would not be possible without the support of the Administration, the Council, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board and the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program,” said Van Pelt.
