County Soil and Water Conservation District has tips for reduced farm tax asessments
Wednesday, November 04, 2009, 11:31am
The St. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has some tips for people who might want to apply for a reduced farm tax assessment.
Since the 1970s, New York State law has provided for reduced property tax bills for land in agricultural production, by limiting the taxable assessment of the land to its value in agricultural use. Owners whose land satisfies the minimum farm acreage and gross sales requirements may apply for an agricultural taxable assessment, effectively exempting the land’s nonagricultural value from local real property taxes.
For quick completion of a Soil Group Worksheet, which is needed to apply for Ag Value Assessment, an applicant can bring a tax bill to the SWCD for every parcel that the applicant would like to enroll, and bring a current tax map or maps with a photo background that shows all parcels.
If you need a tax map, you may contact the SLC Real Property Tax Office at 379-2272. When you call, mention that the map is for an Ag Value Assessment.
Applicants should be prepared to answer a few quick questions at the SWCD about the property, such as “Is there a home on this parcel? How much land does it occupy?”
Once your Soil Group Worksheet is complete, you will be contacted.
At that point you may pick up your Soil Group Worksheet, a soils map, your tax bill and tax map.
Fess are $30 per parcel with a late fee of $10 per parcel for anything brought in after Feb. 15 to meet the current year deadline.
Once that is done, you can complete an application and turn over to your town’s assessor with the worksheet and soils map before the local deadline, which is typically March 1. The SWCD says people should remember to file a renewal application with your assessor every year. The worksheets and soils map only need to be done once.
The St. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District is located at 1942 Old DeKalb Road, Canton and can be reached at 386-3582 or conservation@slcswcd.org
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