100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB4732

 

Introduced , by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 205/205-48 new
505 ILCS 5/2  from Ch. 5, par. 1002
505 ILCS 5/3  from Ch. 5, par. 1003
505 ILCS 5/3.07  from Ch. 5, par. 1003.07
505 ILCS 5/3.09 new
505 ILCS 5/5  from Ch. 5, par. 1005
505 ILCS 5/8  from Ch. 5, par. 1008

    Amends the Department of Agricultural Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Agriculture, or his or her designee, shall convene a working group between persons in both rural agricultural areas and urban agricultural areas. Provides that the working group shall collaborate to improve farming development in the State, develop plans for a voluntary farmer-to-farmer assistance and mentorship program, and develop a proposal to include urban farming in agricultural educational programs. Amends the Agricultural Areas Conservation and Protection Act. Defines "county board" as the county board of any county in this State (rather than, the county board of any county in this State except those counties with a population of 1,000,000 or more). Removes acreage requirements for the proposal of an agricultural area. Provides that county boards, county committees, or planning commissions, with respect to the formation of any agricultural area shall consider whether the proposed agricultural area is within an urban agricultural area and eliminates the consideration of the nature and extent of land uses other than active farming within the proposed area. Defines "urban agricultural area". Makes other changes.


LRB100 20277 SLF 35562 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4732LRB100 20277 SLF 35562 b

1    AN ACT concerning agriculture.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil
5Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section
6205-48 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 205/205-48 new)
8    Sec. 205-48. Urban-rural agriculture partnership.
9    In this Section, "urban agriculture area" means an area
10within a metropolitan statistical area, as defined by the
11United States Office of Management and Budget that has one or
12more of the following entities: (1) an organization or person
13who grows produce or other agricultural products; (2) an
14organization or person that raises livestock or poultry; (3) an
15organization or person who processes livestock or poultry; or
16(4) any organization that sells at minimum 75% locally grown
17food.
18    The Director of Agriculture, or his or her designee, shall
19convene a working group between persons in both rural
20agricultural areas and urban agricultural areas. The working
21group shall collaborate to improve farming development in this
22State, develop plans for a voluntary farmer-to-farmer
23assistance and mentorship program, and develop a proposal to

 

 

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1include urban farming in agricultural educational programs.
 
2    Section 10. The Agricultural Areas Conservation and
3Protection Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, 3.07, 5,
4and 8 and by adding Section 3.09 as follows:
 
5    (505 ILCS 5/2)  (from Ch. 5, par. 1002)
6    Sec. 2. Legislative findings and intent. It is the policy
7of the State to conserve, protect and to encourage the
8development and improvement of its agricultural lands for the
9production of food and other agricultural products. It is also
10the policy of this State to conserve and protect agricultural
11lands as valued natural and ecological resources which provide
12needed open spaces for clean air sheds as well as for aesthetic
13purposes. Agriculture in many parts of the State is under urban
14pressure from expanding metropolitan areas. This urban
15pressure takes the form of scattered development in wide belts
16around urban areas, brings conflicting land uses into
17juxtaposition, creates high costs for public services, and
18stimulates land speculation. When this scattered development
19extends into productive farm areas, ordinances inhibiting
20farming tend to follow, farm taxes rise, and hopes for
21speculative gains discourage investments in farm improvements.
22Much agricultural land in Illinois is in jeopardy of being lost
23for any agricultural purpose. Certain of these lands constitute
24unique and irreplaceable land resources of Statewide

 

 

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1importance. It is the purpose of this Act to provide a means by
2which agricultural land may be protected and enhanced as a
3viable segment of the State's economy and as an economic and
4environmental resource of major importance.
5(Source: P.A. 81-1173.)
 
6    (505 ILCS 5/3)  (from Ch. 5, par. 1003)
7    Sec. 3. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
8context otherwise requires, the terms specified in Sections
93.01 through 3.09 3.08 have the meanings ascribed to them in
10those Sections.
11(Source: P.A. 81-1173.)
 
12    (505 ILCS 5/3.07)  (from Ch. 5, par. 1003.07)
13    Sec. 3.07. "County Board" means the county board of any
14county in this State except those counties with a population of
151 million or more.
16(Source: P.A. 81-1173.)
 
17    (505 ILCS 5/3.09 new)
18    Sec. 3.09. Urban agricultural area. "Urban agricultural
19area" means an area within a metropolitan statistical area, as
20defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget
21that has one or more of the following entities: (1) an
22organization or person who grows produce or other agricultural
23products; (2) an organization or person that raises livestock

 

 

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1or poultry; (3) an organization or person who processes
2livestock or poultry; or (4) any organization that sells at
3minimum 75% locally grown food.
 
4    (505 ILCS 5/5)  (from Ch. 5, par. 1005)
5    Sec. 5. Agricultural Areas; Creation. Any owner or owners
6of land may submit a proposal to the county board for the
7creation of an agricultural area within such county. An
8agricultural area, at the creation of any such area, shall not
9be less than 350 acres in all counties with a population under
10600,000 and not less than 100 acres in all counties with a
11population of 600,000 or more. The Such proposal shall include
12a description of the proposed area, including the boundaries
13thereof. The Such territory shall be as compact and nearly
14contiguous as feasible. If any portion of the proposed area is
15not contiguous to another portion of the proposed area, that
16non-contiguous portion must be no more than 1.5 miles from the
17nearest other portion of the proposed area as measured between
18the closest boundaries of the 2 portions. An area created under
19this Act shall be established for a period of ten years. No
20land shall be included in an agricultural area without the
21consent of the owner. No land within an agricultural area shall
22be used for other than agricultural production as described in
23Sections 3.01 and 3.02 of this Act. Agreements for the
24extraction of mineral resources duly agreed upon prior to the
25creation of an agricultural area shall be exempted from the use

 

 

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1provisions of this Section. In addition, the extraction of
2mineral resources conducted pursuant to the Surface Coal Mining
3Land Conservation and Reclamation Act shall be considered
4temporary land use and shall be exempted from the use
5provisions of this Section.
6(Source: P.A. 93-234, eff. 7-22-03; 94-444, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
7    (505 ILCS 5/8)  (from Ch. 5, par. 1008)
8    Sec. 8. Factors for Consideration in Formation of
9Agricultural Areas. (a) The following factors should be
10considered by county boards, county committees, or planning
11commissions, with respect to the formation of any agricultural
12area:
13    1. the viability of active farming within the proposed area
14and in areas adjacent thereto;
15    1.5. whether the proposed agricultural area is within an
16urban agricultural area;
17    2. the presence of any viable farmlands within the proposed
18area and adjacent to the proposed agricultural area thereto
19that are not now in active farming;
20    3. (blank); the nature and extent of land uses other than
21active farming within the proposed area and adjacent thereto;
22    4. county developmental patterns and needs;
23    5. the existence of a conservation plan approved by the
24local soil and water conservation district; and
25    6. any other matter which may be relevant.

 

 

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1    (b) In judging viability, any relevant agricultural
2information shall be considered, including soil, climate,
3topography, other natural factors, markets for farm products,
4the extent and nature of farm improvements, the present status
5of farming, anticipated trends in agricultural economic
6conditions and technology, and such other factors as may be
7relevant. Proposed agricultural areas in urban agricultural
8areas shall be considered equally with proposed rural
9agricultural areas.
10(Source: P.A. 84-456.)