HomeMy WebLinkAboutAAC 2026-02-18 Special Meeting ApprovedAAC 2026-02-18 Special Meeting Draft
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AGRICULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Special Meeting
February 18, 2026
In-Person
Present: Evan Carpenter (chair), Doug Antczak, Austin Beck, Steve Foote, Kim LaMotte,
and Brian Magee
Liaisons: Craig Schutt (Conservation Board)
Staff: Allison Kjellander-Cantu (Deputy Town Clerk)
The meeting was called to order at 7:36 p.m.
A Moratorium on Development
Members compared drafts from E Carpenter and A Beck and ultimately merged them to
propose an 18-month freeze on major subdivisions located on prime agricultural soils.
Throughout the discussion, the committee emphasizes the need to protect farmable
land from being fragmented while ensuring the language is precise enough to allow for small -
family housing. They plan to present this unified recommendation to the Town Board to
provide officials with the necessary time to update local zoning laws. The dialogue reflects a
sense of urgency to implement these protections before significant rural parcels are
permanently lost to industrial or residential sprawl.
The AAC reached consensus on a resolution recommending an 18-month moratorium on
the development of major subdivisions within the Town of Dryden. This strategic pause is
specifically targeted at parcels containing prime soils and soils of statewide importance as
defined by USDA soil maps. The primary objective is to provide the Town Board and the Zoning
Advisory Group (ZAG) with sufficient time to finalize comprehensive zoning protections, Phase
2, that align with the town's goals for agricultural preservation. By focusing on "major" rather
than "minor" subdivisions, the committee intends to prevent the large-scale conversion of
farmable land into residential developments while maintaining farmers' rights to perform small-
scale subdivisions for family housing.
Dryden Agriculture Advisory Committee
Resolution for Moratorium on Major Subdivisions
February 18, 2026
Whereas, the Dryden Agriculture Advisory Committee recognizes a long-term threat to non-
renewable soils currently utilized in local agriculture for food production from subdivision and
subsequent development for non-agricultural purposes, and
Whereas, the current Dryden Comprehensive Plan calls for the protection of agricultural lands
and open spaces, and
Whereas, the protection of ‘Prime Soils’ and ‘Soils of Statewide Importance’, as shown on USDA
soil maps, is essential for the security and longevity of our food production system, and
Whereas, once these soils are developed, they are removed from production agriculture
indefinitely, and
AAC 2026-02-18 Special Meeting Draft
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Whereas, protecting the previously outlined soil types will support the viability of local farming
operations within the Town of Dryden, and
Whereas, parcels of significant acreage and their location in regard to Dryden’s local farms play
a crucial role in the sustainability of these businesses, and
Whereas, the Dryden Comprehensive Plan directs development toward areas with existing
municipal infrastructure support, and
Whereas, the Dryden Planning Board is writing a new Zoning Plan, and
Whereas, the Agricultural Advisory Committee needs more time and information to collaborate
with the Zoning Advisory Group in drafting an effective plan that addresses uses of agricultural
lands, therefore, let it be
Resolved, that the Agriculture Advisory Committee strongly recommends that the Town of Dryden
immediately invoke a moratorium for a period of 18 months on major subdivisions of ‘Prime Soils’
and ‘Soils of Statewide Importance’, based on the USDA soil maps for New York State.
The resolution is on the agenda for tomorrow’s Town Board meeting. If passed, then it will
be passed to the town's legal counsel to ensure the verbiage regarding major subdivisions is
legally defensible and precisely defined.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Allison Kjellander-Cantu
Deputy Town Clerk