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“The APR Program – Looking Forward” MDAR Listening Session – Middleborough
February 28, 2018 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Middleborough Public Library, 102 North Main St., Middleborough
Wednesday, Feb. 28, 5:30 to 7 PM
As the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program celebrates its 40th year, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is hosting a series of four (4) listening sessions to hear from the public about their ideas for protecting farmland for the future in Massachusetts. Titled “The APR Program- Looking Forward”, these sessions are intended to be opportunities for you to recommend ideas and policy considerations for the APR program to meet the evolving needs of farming in Massachusetts and to address the challenges that can result from placing agricultural land under a restriction for posterity.
The Amherst and Middleborough sessions will have a presentation followed by a comment period. The Worcester session will have a presentation with small facilitated discussion groups afterwards. Pre-registration is not required for any session but is recommended for the Worcester meeting by emailing Dorothy.Du@state.ma.us.
We are open to suggestions on all aspects of the program but are particularly interested in the following topics:
Transfers of APRs: ROFRs and OPAVs;
Approvals: e.g. Renewable Energy, Composting, Dwellings, Labor Housing;
Non-Agricultural Uses: e.g. Weddings, Events, Races;
Acquisitions: e.g. process.
Written comments may be submitted here through March 31st, or emailed to gerard.kennedy@state.ma.us