Ag Zoning
 

Numerous people have said to us that if we sell $1000 off the farm we can qualify for Ag zoning and our taxes would change. How do I find this infomation out - we are in MO.

Thanks!

no idea. Around here land is zoned ag if it can be farmed, and I think it has to be a minimum of acres. 10 I think

Contact your state's Farm Bureau http://www.mofb.org/
They should be able to help you or direct you to someone who can.

Michiganfarmer is right. I think ag zoning depends on not just your farm income but also acreage.

Thanks! We are putting in solar this year and our rep says we can recieve a bigger rebate if we are ag and I trying to fiure out what that means exactly!

Why would you want your property zoned at all? Inform the county that it is personal property and any attempt by them to classify it as any other type (residential, commercial or agricultural) is not done with your permission. In other words, don't volunteer.

In NC you have got to own at lease 10 acres and make $1000 profit to get the farm tax # then you dont half to pay tax on feed,seed,fert,and you pay deferd taxes till you deside to sell .

May I ask where you live? The concept of land not being zoned at all is comical in all areas I am familiar with. as if! :)

Just curious how things are done where you are?



To the original question, are you trying to deal with property taxes, or sales taxes? I'm guessing property.

Ag ground can be classified different things. Might take a few $$$ to file a permit type of thing to recassify your land to ag, if that is what you use it for.

In addition, there are programs in many states where you can keep your property taxed at true-use valuation. For example, if you are farming your land & the ag taxes would be $15 an acre - but developers are putting up houses & your taxes come in at $50 an acre because of the housing developments.... You can get things set back to the ag-use valuation.

--->Paul

In Texas, only the land within incorporated city/town limits is zoned. I think many other states do this as well. Most rural land in outlying areas is unzoned, so most of the land in Texas is unzoned.

Each state is different regarding tax exemptions for ag land. Zoning is not typically the issue, but use. You have to prove that it is used productively for ag purposes. Check with the local tax assessor, appraisal district, or whoever determines taxable value for real estate in your area, and they will inform you of the requirements.

Forgot to add in my previous post: not only is most land in Texas (unincorporated areas) not subject to zoning - but the largest city in Texas, Houston, has no zoning at all.

In NC to get deferred property tax for ag you must have 10 or more acres and Gross $1000 or more. or have 20 or more acres in forestry and have a formal forestry plan. The savings on property tax are significant.
Your county property tax department can give you the details.

In ohio there the entire state is divided up into ~5x5 mile townships, even where there is no 'incorporated' city or village there is still a township. Then in more populated areas instead of townships the land is usually incorporated into a village or city. Townships are somewhat limited in the control they have over the residents, but they are allowed to enforce zoning. Some townships choose to not have zoning, but most are zoned now, at least in the northeast area I'm familiar with.

Comical is not a good argument when discussing law. Where I live government exists for my benefit and not the other way around. If you feel a need to ask permission or pay a fee to enjoy your property then what makes you think it is your property? Kindly show me where Minnesota law requires zoning. Here is a place to start - http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco...n/preamble.htm

If there is no requirement in law that can be traced to your state constitution then just why are you volunteering?

Interesting, I certainly had no trouble pulling up the zoning maps for Texas and Minnesota. I think you two are confusing land use classifications, or zoning (R-1, etc), with zoning ordinances regarding sheds, decks, and the color of your fence.

Factually, there isn't a spot of land in the US where you are completely free of restrictions and regulations on what you can do or build on your land. It's merely a diffference in degree.

And I had thought if you wanted livestock, the land had to be zoned Agricultural. Now I'm just confused. How do you find out if you're going to be allowed livestock - do you call the town office and ask before making an offer on a place?

I too think you are confused on what zoning is.

--->Paul

We have 20 ac, don't live there yet but it's 'classed' as ag & pay only about $20.00/yr taxes. Of course, this is TX so laws may be a bit lax. We don't have to prove we grow anything-we've listed our 'crop' as hay.

Patty

I would love to see the zoning maps for unincorporated areas of Texas. Your second statement about being completely free of "restrictions and regulation" is essentially true. But it is not considered zoning, at least not here. You are required to comply with the laws of the state or county wherever you live. Mostly these laws are found with the Texas Property Code. But this isn't the same as zoning.

And zoning ordinance restrictions regarding "sheds, decks, and the color of your fence" are typically found within the framework of the zoning ordinance itself - ie. R-1, or whatever.

BTW, I sat on the Planning and Zoning Commission of a city with a population of 250,000+ for a couple of years back in the '90s. For the last 24 years, I have been a r.e. consultant dealing primarily with a number of area cities and the state of Texas.

This appears to be some information for Missouri taxation and programs - just click on the 'property' tab.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/edi...ate_tax_Mo.asp


For zoning, you may have to check with your local governmental entity.

In Ohio it's not actually a zoning issue:

C.A.U.V. - CAUV, or Current Agricultural Use Value, is a program designed to reduce the taxable value of land being used for commercial agricultural production. To qualify you must have at least 10 acres of land in commercial agricultural use or be able to generate the minimum gross income requirement of $2,500 per year. There is a fee of $25 to sign up for this program and the owner must renew annually, but at no fee. Once the land is withdrawn from the CAUV program or no longer qualifies, some of the tax savings must be paid back.

Homestead Exemption Program - Persons 65 years or older, or totally and permanently disabled, may qualify for a property tax exemption if they have household income of $27,000 or less and own and occupy the home or manufactured home as of January 1st of year applying. Because some incomes are excludable, if your income is $35,000 or less, you may be eligible. There is no fee to sign up for this program.

Ohio Forest Tax Law is a State-managed program. If you have 10 or more acres of qualifying woodlands, you may qualify for a 50% reduction on the taxable value of the forested land. There is a one-time $50 application fee.

Homeowner reduction - Every property owner that resides in their own property is due a 2.5% reduction on their property tax bill. Homeowners must make application for this reduction. Most times this is taken care of at time of transfer of real estate.

Everything in Oregon is zoned--my property is EFU--Exclusive Farm Use. Minimum lot size 20 acres. A hardship building permit can be obtained for a 2nd building site if you can show more than $80k/year in sales. There is zoning for forest land, whatever, it is zoned and the zoning tells what the land may be used for.

Zoning probably is not the right word but it was the only one I could think of yesterday. A person that worked at the USDA was as the house item auction of the house we bought and mentioned something about $1000 and ag and at the time I was 9 months PG and probably not thinking clearly to ask more follow-up questions to what she was saying.

Here you must own 10 acres of cleared land. My farm is zoned agriculture and I exceed $1000. in sales each year off the farm. My property tax is about one half of what it would be if it was zoned residential.

In Wisconsin, I had a problem with the local assessor changing my lands assessment to residential/recreational, from Ag.

As it is still farmed/cropped (by the farmer down the road a this time), it is listed with the USDA and I have a "Farm Number".
This information and a Terra Fly pic from the satellite, clearly showing plowed fields and grass (hay) crop land, I was able to get it re-classified back to Ag.
Cut my taxes in half.
This doesn't really have anything to do with "Zoning" per se, this is for land use and taxes.