PDR UPDATE:
(As of 10.2.08)

194 farms totaling more than 22,444 acres are now permanently protected by conservation easements. PDR is now at 44% of the 50,000 acre goal defined in the Ordinance.

The types of farms in the program include 81 general agriculture, 100 equine and 13 'other' (sod, wooded, etc). The total includes 33 farms with donated conservation easements on 1,610 acres.

Find out more about the program by viewing this Powerpoint presentation: dialup version (.7 MB) | broadband version (3.4 MB)

Round 8 is now open and the deadline for filing an application is NOON on January 30, 2009. Click here for a Round 8 application.

All applications need to be submitted by January 30, 2009 at NOON to the PDR office, located on the 9th floor, Room 936 of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Center, 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507. Rural properties that are over 20 acres and are located in the CORE Agricultural or Natural Area land categories are eligible to apply.

You may apply to donate a conservation easement on your farm at any time.

Donation Information

• Policy for Accepting Donated Easements
  
• Donated Conservation Easement Application
  
• Donated Conservation Easement template
  
• Potential Tax Benefits from Donating a Conservation Easement
  
• Current map of PDR Protected Farms

Once accepted, the Fayette County Rural Land Management Board and PDR staff will work to complete the recording of the donated conservation easement before the last business day of December of the year in which the application is received.

PDR Program Overview

Fayette County's Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program is the first Agricultural Conservation Easement program by a local government in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Protecting this world famous landscape from urban sprawl has been a community goal for decades. Three major actions are accomplishing this:

1. In 1958, Lexington-Fayette County initiated an Urban Service Boundary as a tool to limit development to urban areas served by sanitary sewers.
2. In 1999, the minimum lot size in rural Fayette County was raised from 10 acres to 40 acres.
3. In 2000, an ordinance was passed creating the Purchase of Development Rights Program and the Fayette County Rural Land Management Board.

Program Goals Include:

• In accordance with the Urban County Government Charter and the Rural Land Management Plan (adopted in 1999), the PDR program supports the integrity of the Full Urban Services District. Concentrating growth in an urban center reduces the cost of public services to local government.
• To support the purpose of the Urban Service Boundary (adopted in 1958) as described in the Rural Land Management Plan.
• Protect the agricultural, equine and tourism economies of Fayette County by conserving large areas of farm land.
• Conserve and protect the natural, scenic, open space, historic and agricultural resources of rural Fayette County.
• Use conservation easements to preserve 50,000 acres of rural Fayette County over the next 20 years.
• Provide local, state and federal funding of $140 Million over 20 years.

• Potential Tax Benefits of Donating a Conservation Easement
• Conservation Easement Summary Brochure
• General PDR Information PowerPoint presentation
• Selling Your Development Rights - A Unique Way to Invest in the Future of Your Farm
• Frequently Asked Questions
  
• Map
  
• Natural Resource Conservation Service
• Pictures of PDR Protected Farms
  

• Meeting Schedule
  
• By-Laws
  
• List of Members
  

• Federal Conservation Easement Template
• Local Conservation Easement Template
• Rural Land Management Plan (RLMP)
• PDR Ordinance
• Policy for Accepting Donated Easements
• Donated Easement Application
• Donated Conservation Easement Template

Billy Van Pelt, RLA, ASLA
PDR Program Manager
LFUCG Government Center
200 East Main St., 9th floor
Lexington, KY. 40507
(859) 425-2227
Fax: (859) 258-3403
Email