2025-02-03 Jim McMahon Testimony

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agricultural operation, it seems difficult to justify the co-location of other commercial activities on the farm. What if the heavy equipment rental operation is more profitable than the ranching operation? Shouldn't there be income thresholds and therefore some amount of financial disclosure before approval just as for agritourism? This is similar to the argument around allowing transient rental accommodations and other non-farm uses on agricultural land. To allow non-agricultural commercial uses on farm land would seem to represent a kind of subsidy. Rather than having to pay for a 2nd property zoned commercial or industrial site to host the non-farm use, one can move all of these activities to a AG-zoned lot. There they can enjoy reduced property tax based on the dedicated use value. Meanwhile a non-farmer engaged in the same commercial activity will have to pay higher taxes for their conforming parcel where their business would be located. Thus this would seem to provide an unfair subsidy to the farmer. Special Considerations for Private Road Easements Regrettably, we have had to request law enforcement support dealing with various illegal and unsafe activities taking place within our road easements. This includes: • Various forms of harassment resulting in temporary restraining orders, • Operating vehicles in an unsafe and threatening manner when there are presestrains present along the roadside. • Damaging our property through the unauthorized removal of speed bumps, trees, and herbicide usage. Damage of other personal property located near the road and elsewhere within the property • Agricultural theft of both produce and equipment • Driving off the paved areas and onto the shoulders with heavy vehicles in an apparent attempt to damage the underground electrical utilities supplying electricity and telecommunications services to our house. • Excessive use of Jacobs (AKA Jake or Compression Release Engine) Brakes at all hours of the day and night • Frequent "Coal Rolling" • Frequent distracted and impaired driving • Allowing unaccompanied minors to operate motor vehicles • Recreational use of our road by operating ATVs and similar recreational vehicles on the road without permission • Improperly secured loads resulting in litter and other debris on our roads. The police have very limited ability to enforce traffic and other areas of civil law on private roads. Also, we have no HOA to other organizations that could possibly intervene on our behalf. We are therefore mostly on our own when dealing with these challenges. We would therefore like to make the Planning Commission more appreciative of some of the additional and often unexpected challenges private road owners may have to deal with as a consequence of increased use that those fortunate to live on public roads would be less likely to have to deal with.