Rural Land Management Board

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Rural Land Management Board convened at 3:01 PM on April 22, 2026, with Beth presiding as the meeting's chair. The board worked through three agenda items during the session, each addressed on an informational basis: a review of the Solar Energy Systems Zoning Ordinance, an update on New PDR and Small Farm Easements, and a discussion of NRCS Match Funding. Across these three topics, the board took a total of 2 votes and heard no public comments. No formal action items or approvals were recorded for the agenda items presented, as all three were handled as informational presentations.

Attendance

The following members were present at the April 22, 2026 Board meeting:

• Margaret Graves
• Stephen Howard
• Phil Hager
• Jim Coleman
• Hannah Emig
• Robert James
• Will Mayer
• Phil Meyer
• Joanna
• Beth

Absent: Jonathan Disney, Mary Quinn

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Two motions were brought before the Board during the April 22, 2026 meeting, both of which passed unanimously.

• Approval of the March 25th Minutes 6:34: Stephen Howard moved to approve the minutes from the March 25th meeting, with Jim Coleman providing the second. The motion passed unanimously. No individual roll call votes were recorded.

• Enter Closed Session 1:02:22: Phil moved to enter closed session pursuant to KRS-61810-1B, with Joanna providing the second. The motion passed unanimously. No individual roll call votes were recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Board reviewed and acted on several contracts at the April 22, 2026 meeting, covering appraisal and farm inspection services.

Appraisal Contracts – Kenimer Appraisal Services

• A contract of $4,000 was approved with Kenimer Appraisal Services for an appraisal related to a farm Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) originating from 2025.
• A separate contract of $2,500 was approved with Kenimer Appraisal Services for an appraisal related to a smaller PDR, also originating from 2025.

Farm Inspection Contracts – Charlie Farmer

• A contract of $6,300 was approved with Charlie Farmer for the inspection of 63 farms conducted in March.
• A contract of $2,100 was approved with Charlie Farmer for the inspection of 21 farms conducted in April.

The combined total of all financial actions approved at this meeting amounts to $14,900. No resolution numbers were recorded in the available meeting data for these items.

Contested Items

• Solar Energy Systems Zoning Ordinance — A heated discussion arose regarding the proposed zoning ordinance governing solar energy systems, centered on the use of prime farmland for solar installations and the potential impact on agricultural resources. Concerns were raised about whether allowing solar development on prime farmland could diminish the county's agricultural land base. The extracted data does not specify which individual board members or public participants were involved in the debate, nor does it record a final outcome or vote on the matter.

Solar Energy Systems Zoning Ordinance

12:05

The Board held a discussion on a proposed solar energy systems zoning ordinance, with the conversation centering on large-scale solar installations in agricultural zones and their potential impact on prime farmland.

Key speakers during this item included Council Member Sheehan and Margaret Graves.

The discussion was informational in nature, with no formal action taken or vote recorded at this meeting. The item appears to have been brought forward to allow the Board and the public to examine the implications of the proposed ordinance before any further steps are taken.

Key themes raised during the discussion included:

• The scope and regulation of large-scale solar energy systems as they relate to existing agricultural zoning designations
• Concerns about the potential impact on prime farmland, suggesting that some participants may have questions about balancing renewable energy development with the preservation of productive agricultural land

This item concluded as an informational discussion, indicating that further deliberation, public input, or additional review may be anticipated before the ordinance moves toward a formal vote or adoption.

New PDR and Small Farm Easements

56:36

Beth presented an update on recent progress with the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program and small farm easements.

Beth announced that the program had reached a notable milestone with the closure of its first small farm easements, along with the closure of a PDR farm. She indicated that additional closings are anticipated before the end of the fiscal year.

The item was informational in nature, with no action taken or vote required by the Board.

NRCS Match Funding

57:40

Matt Hutchison presented an update on NRCS match funding, announcing that all Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) applications submitted for 2026 have been tentatively selected for funding. Hutchison noted that the selection remains pending review by national headquarters before it can be considered final.

This item was informational in nature, with no action required from the Board at this time.