What is the APR land Policy?

FINAL

Town of Whately Policy to Protect APR Lands

The Town of Whately seeks to ensure the integrity of all Agricultural Preservation and Restriction (APR) lands through the following policy:

The Building Inspectors will not issue a permit for the new construction of any new residence or non-farm related structure in the Agricultural/Residential zones until the property is checked against Mass GIS records to insure that it is not under an APR. The Conservation Commission will check Mass GIS records to verify APR status, and will inform FRCOG and the Department of Agricultural Resources if the property is under APR. The Assessor’s office will update on-line mapping information when new APRs are created in town. In addition, the Agricultural Commission will notify the chair of the Conservation Commission when new APRs are approved.

Prior to exercising or waiving their right of first refusal for land under Chapter 61 or 61a, the Board of Selectmen will inform the Conservation Commission and the Agricultural Commission

The Planning Board will require that any request for an Approval Not Required (ANR) designation be accompanied by a statement from the applicant certifying that the property is not under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction. No proposal for an ANR lot on an APR property will be considered unless a “subdivision” waiver has been granted by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. The Town will not allow the division of an APR into multiple parcels or ownerships without checking for this approval, even if it is not creating a building lot.

Approved by the Conservation Commission

Approved by the Planning Board

Adopted by Selectboard (10/26/16)