BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County now has a 30-day modification period for the eight-year agricultural district review process.

Legislators approved the resolution during the Feb. 5 full board meeting, a move that will allow the public to offer comments on potential changes to the agricultural districts.

At the moment, district one is undergoing an eight-year review. That district includes the towns of DeKalb, DePeyster, Edwards, Fowler, Gouverneur, Hammond, Hermon, Macomb, Morristown, Oswegatchie, Pitcairn and Rose.

District two includes the towns of Brasher, Canton, Hopkinson, Lawrence, Lisbon, Louisville, Madrid, Massena, Norfolk, Parisvhille, Pierrepont, Potsdam, Russell, Stockholm and Waddington.

Officials say a proposal is on the table to consolidate districts one and two.

Under states law, a 30-day period is required to give landowners and municipalities the opportunity to petition for the inclusion of or removal of land from an agricultural district.

State regulations also require the county to give the public the opportunity to to comment on any proposed changes to the districts as recommended by the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board which is to be completed with a public hearing, officials say.

The thirty-day modification period for the eight-year review will run concurrently with the Agricultural District Review of the county, which occurs March 1-30 each year, officials say.

The public hearing to allow individuals the opportunity to comment on the recommendations.

The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. at the Human Services Center Conference Room, located at 80 State Highway 310, Canton.