|
property and it’s your property, can you own an ATV and use it on your property to ride around on
<br />it, and we had a case, and it becomes very difficult to regulate that.
<br />
<br />PALMA GLENNIE: And I appreciate, again, I appreciate what you are saying. The difference I
<br />think is that here we are talking about an ag tourism activity, and I don’t, I mean, is there a place in
<br />the ag tourism bill, the new one, that says ATVs are not part of that? I mean, that’s what I’m, I’m
<br />saying there is two different things going on here. There is people just owning property and I, like,
<br />I don’t have a desire to do ag tourism-related activities on my property, I will follow the law for
<br />whatever and have whatever I can do. But if I asked for a permit to do ag tourism activities, isn’t
<br />that different, and doesn’t that require different, have different requirements? That’s what I’m
<br />saying. I just think that if ATVs are being used for a ride, a recreational ride for commercial
<br />reasons, getting money, that’s different than my neighbor, you know, kids running around and
<br />having fun.
<br />
<br />LEITHEAD TODD: I guess the difficulty for the Department, and this is just, I thought we had
<br />discussion, is that when the State says that it is a permitted use on Ag land, it becomes difficult for
<br />us to take the position that we have to treat that permitted use significantly differently than other
<br />permitted uses. And that’s the difficulty for us is we have a laundry list of things that the State says,
<br />solar farms, alternative energy, there is a whole bunch of stuff that the State, every year they go in
<br />and amend the law, and then if they say it’s permitted, then how do I treat this permitted use
<br />differently than this other permitted use. And it’s a quandary for us because some of these things
<br />raise greater issues in terms of the use of the roads, greater issues about impact on neighbors,
<br />greater issues about impact on farmers. But I’m going to tell you that we are having some of those
<br />same discussions on legitimate agricultural uses, as they start, if sugar were to come back and you
<br />had big trucks and dirt and everything, you’d have legitimate agriculture, but you’d have the same
<br />discussion about the impact on the community. And that’s where we are having some difficulty in
<br />terms of the fact that it’s permitted under State Law.
<br />
<br />PALMA GLENNIE: Well, that, and that would be major ag, which is also a different thing than
<br />minor ag. I mean, I think the whole, I think it’s obvious from this discussion that even this bill, it’s
<br />just not ready for prime time. I mean, I don’t know, I mean, maybe this is a better time to create a
<br />bill that has the input from small farmers. I just, again, fear that going, taking this to the County
<br />Council, they are going to feel like, “Okay, it’s already been reviewed, there has been public input.”
<br />I mean I know this is an important step, and you folks are, your, you know, what you put or don’t
<br />put into this bill is going to really mean a lot, and I just have this fear that the residents of the county
<br />are going to end up being liable for all these thing that haven’t been able to be resolved. And I
<br />don’t want to see my neighbors and I don’t want everyone to be in lawsuits.
<br />
<br />GIFFIN: Though I appreciate you being here and your comments are truly well taken -.
<br />
<br />PALMA GLENNIE: Yeah, that’s fine -.
<br />
<br />GIFFIN: Thank you very much.
<br />
<br />PALMA GLENNIE: Thank you. I really, I really appreciate the time (inaudible).
<br />
<br />GIFFIN: You’re welcome. Commissioners, before she goes, did you have any other questions of
<br />her? Thank you again.
<br />11
<br />EXHIBIT B
<br />
<br />
|