Washington County voters will decide April 3 whether to establish the state's first countywide purchase-of-development rights program that would pay landowners not to develop agricultural land.

The Washington County Board today agreed to place a referendum question on the ballot for the spring election that will ask voters whether the county should spend "at least $800,000 per year for 10 years" on the program on the condition that all county spending would be matched dollar-for-dollar with funds from federal, state and private sources.

In a separate vote, the board agreed to create the land conservation effort by 2008 if it is approved by voters in April.

Possible sources of county funding include the county sales tax, long-term debt and the property tax.

A property owner would voluntarily sell the right to develop land to the county or a land trust, under the proposal. In exchange, the county or land trust would be given a permanent conservation easement restricting subdivisions and non-farm building construction on the land.

Article from the Journal Sentinel