ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
Purpose:
Appropriates, beginning in
FY 2001-2002 and in each fiscal year through 2010-2011, the sum of $2 million
from the public conservation account to the development rights retirement fund
for the purpose of purchasing and retiring development rights.
Background:
The purchase of the
development rights to land is intended to prevent retail, dense residential or
commercial development on ranches or farms for the purpose of preserving open
space, which includes related benefits such as habitat preservation and land
use buffers. The farmer sells or leases
these rights, generally to a public agency or nature preservation group, thus
guaranteeing that the land will not be sold for urban development. Under this program, the land remains under
private ownership, thereby giving the owner more of an incentive to give up the
development rights. The purchase of
development rights requires a steady funding source and for that reason, the
programs are usually administered by governmental entities.
The development rights
retirement fund was established in 2000 in the Growing Smarter Plus
legislation. Administered by the State
Parks Board, the fund consists of legislative appropriations, gifts and
grants. Monies in the fund are to be
used for the purpose of granting monies to applicants to purchase, lease or
transfer the development rights of private land in Arizona. The Board may grant monies to agencies of
the state, political subdivisions of the state, non-profit organizations or
private individuals. Funding priority
is given to entities that provide matching funds.
Currently, there are no
monies in the development rights retirement fund.
S.B. 1292 appropriates,
beginning in FY 2001-2002 and in each fiscal year through 2010-2011, the sum of
$2 million from the public conservation account to the development rights
retirement fund for the purpose of purchasing and retiring development rights.
Provisions:
1. Appropriates, beginning in FY 2001-2002 and in each fiscal year through 2010-2011, the sum of $2 million from the public conservation account to the development rights retirement fund for the purpose of purchasing and retiring development rights.
2. Eliminates grants from the public conservation account to individual landowners or agricultural lessees of federal or state land to implement conservation-based management alternatives to provide wildlife habitat or other public benefits that preserve open space.
3. Contains conforming changes.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 6, 2001