Designed to stop sprawl and preserve farmland, two state tax breaks to farmers are actually fueling further expansion. Much 'farmland' is already developed, yet still gets write-offs.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's investigation of local 'farmland' found some startling facts: of the thousands of acres listed as farmland on the tax rolls, only six percent is owned by farmers. In fact, of the 75,000 acres of 'farmland' getting tax benefits in Allegheny County, the Dept. of Agriculture's figures only 33,000 acres are actual used for farming. The rest of the land is already developed or owned by real estate groups. The result is millions of dollars in lost revenue through tax breaks to upper-income suburbs. Developers can pave over every acre without penalty because, under the same laws, the value of farmland cannot be reassessed until subdivided for sale.
Thanks to Jeffrey Goodman
Read the full story: Not only farmers reap farm tax breaks
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Atlanta City Council unanimously backs $3.5 billion Beltline light rail project
The resolution was drafted after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens pulled support for the Atlanta Streetcar extension last year.
SEPTA to bring nearby frequent transit to over 1 million new riders as part of decade-long plan
The agency's Accelerate plan will also bring frequent transit to twice the amount of jobs that are currently located near it.
NYC plants over 18,000 trees, the most new foliage in a decade
Many of the trees were planted in communities vulnerable to extreme heat.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello