Rural Land Management Board

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Rural Land Management Board convened on January 29, 2020, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 101 East Vine St., Lexington, KY 40507, with Beth Cawood Overman presiding. The board addressed three agenda items during the session, though limited progress was made on formal business matters. Two items were tabled for future consideration: the approval of December 18, 2019 minutes and Farm 27-2002, a housing request from David and Kelly Baugh. The board received one informational update regarding farm closings with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). One motion was made and voted on during the meeting, and the board heard one public comment from an attendee.

Attendance

The Board meeting on January 29, 2020 had nine members present and three absent.

Present: • Beth Cawood Overman • Tracy • Jennifer • Tommy • Phil • Robert • Will • Margaret • Bo

Absent: • Zach Davis • Christine • Greg

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The Board addressed one procedural matter during the January 29, 2020 meeting.

Approval of December 18, 2019 Minutes 0:00 - Motion by: Tracy - Outcome: Tabled - Vote count: No formal vote taken

The motion to approve the minutes from the December 18, 2019 Board meeting was made by Tracy but was subsequently tabled without proceeding to a vote. No second was recorded for the motion, and no vote counts were tallied as the item was postponed for future consideration.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Board addressed one financial item during the January 29, 2020 meeting.

The Board approved a purchase of $590 for postcards and postage to reach landowners. This expenditure was part of the district's outreach efforts to communicate with property owners in the area. No specific vendor or resolution number was provided for this purchase authorization.

Public Comment

The public comment period included one speaker who addressed the Board.

Kathy spoke regarding the Bluegrass Tomorrow 2020 Vision Awards 3:44. She extended an invitation to Board members to attend the upcoming awards ceremony, emphasizing the event's importance to the community. Kathy offered to host Board members at her table during the event, demonstrating her commitment to fostering relationships between the Board and local organizations focused on regional development and planning initiatives.

No other members of the public provided comments during this portion of the meeting.

Contested Items

The January 29, 2020 board meeting encountered a significant procedural dispute regarding the approval of minutes and a housing request. Despite having a quorum present, the board was unable to proceed with these routine agenda items due to an insufficient number of voting members available to cast ballots.

The disagreement centered on procedural requirements for conducting official board business. While the meeting had enough members present to satisfy quorum requirements for convening the session, the board discovered they lacked the necessary voting members to formally approve agenda items. This created an unusual situation where the board could meet and discuss matters but could not take official action on pending items.

The contested items specifically included: - Approval of previous meeting minutes - A housing request requiring board authorization

The nature of this dispute was purely procedural rather than substantive disagreement over the content of the minutes or the merits of the housing request. Board members were not divided on the actual issues at hand, but rather faced a technical obstacle in their ability to conduct official business.

The outcome resulted in the board being unable to approve either the minutes or the housing request during this meeting. These items would need to be carried forward to a subsequent meeting when sufficient voting members could be present to take formal action. This procedural impasse effectively stalled routine board business despite the presence of a quorum, highlighting the distinction between having enough members present to meet versus having enough voting members present to conduct official business.

Approval of the December 18, 2019 Minutes

0:00

The board addressed agenda item II regarding the approval of minutes from the December 18, 2019 meeting. Tracy led the discussion on this procedural matter.

However, the board was unable to proceed with voting on the minutes due to an insufficient number of voting members present at the meeting. Without the required quorum of voting members, the board could not take formal action on the approval.

As a result, the approval of the December 18, 2019 minutes was tabled until a future meeting when adequate voting membership would be present to conduct official business. The item will need to be revisited at the next board meeting where sufficient voting members are in attendance to constitute a quorum and allow for proper approval of the previous meeting's minutes.

Update on Farm Closings with NRCS

0:00

Beth presented an update on the status of farm closings in coordination with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The presentation covered current progress on agricultural land preservation efforts under the district's jurisdiction.

According to Beth's report, there are currently four farms under contract in the closing process. This indicates active agricultural preservation work is underway with multiple properties simultaneously moving through the acquisition or easement process.

A significant development highlighted in the update was the creation of Agricultural Land Evaluation (ALE) plans by Charlie Farmer. These ALE plans are critical components of the farm preservation process, as they provide detailed assessments of agricultural land value and conservation priorities that inform decision-making for both the district and NRCS.

The coordination with NRCS represents the district's ongoing partnership with federal conservation programs to preserve farmland and protect agricultural resources. This collaborative approach leverages both local and federal resources to achieve land conservation goals.

The agenda item was classified as informational, with no action items or decisions required from the Board. The update served to keep Board members informed about the current status and progress of farm preservation activities within the district's portfolio.

This report demonstrates the district's active role in agricultural land preservation and its effective working relationship with federal conservation agencies to protect farming operations and rural landscapes in the region.

Farm 27-2002, David and Kelly Baugh – Housing Request

3:44

The Board discussed a housing request from David and Kelly Baugh for Farm 27-2002. The request involved the construction of a new tenant house on the property.

David Baugh presented the request to the Board, explaining the need for additional housing on their farm operation. The proposal had previously been reviewed and approved by the Board of Adjustment, indicating it met the necessary zoning and land use requirements.

Beth, speaking for the Board, acknowledged that while the Board of Adjustment had given their approval for the housing request, the County Board was unable to take action on the matter during this meeting. The primary obstacle was the lack of sufficient voting members present to constitute a quorum necessary for making official decisions.

Due to this procedural limitation, the Board was forced to table the Baugh housing request despite having no apparent substantive objections to the proposal. The item would need to be reconsidered at a future meeting when adequate Board membership was present to conduct official voting.

The outcome represents a procedural delay rather than any rejection of the merits of the Baughs' request for tenant housing on their agricultural property. The prior approval from the Board of Adjustment suggests the proposal meets local land use standards for farm-related residential development.