report to the onondaga county legislature …

MARCH 2021

ONONDAGA COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND FARMLAND PROTECTION BOARD (AFPB)

BRIAN REEVES, CHAIR

CRAIG DENNIS KAY HILSBERG LEE HUDSON

DAN KWASNOWSKI BRIAN MAY

EDWIN SKEELE DAVID SKEVAL

MARK TUCKER DONALD WEBER

SCOTT WINKELMAN

WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE SYRACUSE-ONONDAGA COUNTY PLANNING AGENCY

INTRODUCTION

This report presents the findings of the Onondaga County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board’s (AFPB)

2021 review for the addition of viable agricultural land to agricultural districts in Onondaga County. The

Onondaga County Legislature formally designated by Resolution 71 on April 5, 2004 an annual 30-day period in

January when landowners can request that their land be added to an agricultural district.

Viable agricultural land, as defined in NYS Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 25-AA, Section 301, sub.7, is

“…land highly suitable for a farm operation...” and a farm operation as defined in sub.11 is “…the land and on-

farm buildings, equipment, manure processing and handling facilities, and practices which contribute to the

production, preparation and marketing of crops, livestock and livestock products as a commercial enterprise…

NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets provides guidance in how it defines farm operations and thresholds

in determining farm activities to constitute a commercial enterprise, to include factors such as types of

products, acreage in production, gross sales and capital investment, experience and commitment.

The following requested additions are, therefore, examined primarily for the presence and characteristics of

onsite and related commercial farm operations and production opportunities, highly suitable land, location

relative to existing agricultural districts, nearby development and natural features.

REPORT TO THE ONONDAGA COUNTY LEGISLATURE

ANNUAL ADDITION OF VIABLE AGRICULTURAL LANDS

TO NEW YORK STATE CERTIFIED AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS

IN ONONDAGA COUNTY

2

LANDOWNER REQUESTS

Landowners have requested that the following parcels be added to agricultural districts within Onondaga

County. (Note, this report does not include parcels requested for addition which have been found to be

currently enrolled in a certified agricultural district.) The proposed 2021 additions occur within Agricultural

Districts 1 and 3.

2021 REQUESTED ADDITIONS

DISTRICT TOWN OWNER PARCEL ACRES*

1 ONONDAGA BRIAN & MEGAN LUTON 056.-01-03.1 7.14

District 1 Total 7.14

3 CLAY JAMES R. HART / JEANNETTE L. LOFTUS HART 023.-01-03.6 25.16

3 CLAY RONALD LEWIS 042.-01-07.0 27.34

3 CLAY JONATHAN LEWIS 042.-01-13.0 29.98



3 CLAY D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-11.0 116.76




3 ELBRIDGE HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC 028.-01-01.4 24.67



3 ELBRIDGE MARTIN & LYNNE HANKS 029.-02-07.1 60.63

3 ELBRIDGE DIANA SLEIERTIN 029.-03-14.2 6.87

3 ELBRIDGE DIANA SLEIERTIN 029.-03-35.0 1.00

3 ELBRIDGE MICHELLE L SHOPE 037.-01-15.1 153.12

3 LYSANDER HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC 037.-02-05.1 398.78

District 3 Total 1,186.89

GRAND TOTAL 1,194.03

* Calculated using a Geographic Information System, not Real Property Services (RPS) data.

The following section includes a description of the properties requested to be added to Onondaga County

Agricultural Districts, including aerial photography showing the proposed property, existing enrolled

Agricultural District properties (shaded green), and area context.

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DISTRICT 1 REQUESTED ADDITIONS

ONONDAGA (LUTON): The landowners are requesting addition of a 7.14 acre parcel at the corner of Tanner

Rd and Mackyes Roads in the southern portion of the Town of Onondaga. The owner describes that they own

a mixed vegetable/herb/flower farm, as well as some small fruit and keep pastured laying hens. The parcel

includes the owner’s home, equipment barn, wash/pack/distribution space, a heated greenhouse and

unheated hightunnel(s), pasture/range, and over 3 acres of tillable ground served by irrigation and partially

protected by deer fencing. The owner also owns 19.5 acres of related and enrolled land directly across

Mackyes Road (in purple on map below). The site is also adjacent to large agricultural fields currently enrolled

in District 1.

DISTRICT 3 REQUESTED ADDITIONS

CLAY (JAMES R. HART / JEANNETTE L. LOFTUS HART): A 25.16 acre parcel is proposed for addition in the

northern portion of the Town of Clay. Per the request form, the owner operates a horse farm with boarding,

lessons and trail riding activities, and is working toward establishing a commercial horse operation. A memo

from the Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District notes the owner is working with their AEM team

to implement a grazing plan to include a fence system and water line, with the goal to reduce “the potential

for soil and sediment migration into nearby waterbodies and facilitate her capacity to provide revenue

generating activities on the farm”.

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County Planning Board records show the owner previously sought to subdivide the land into six proposed lots

in 2006. The land now shows again as a single 25.16 acre parcel, with a house recently constructed in 2018.

Per 2020 aerial photography, the parcel also appears to contain two small barn structures, horse pasture

areas, partially fenced, and open and wooded lands. An Onondaga County Water District right-of-way

traverses the western portion of the property.

The parcel is separated from a cluster of Agriculture District 3 enrolled parcels to the west by State Route 481.

Surrounding land is a mix of rural and suburban land uses, including vacant, wooded parcels, large lot housing

and agricultural fields. The entirety of the parcel appears to contain Prime Soils and/or Prime Soils if Drained.

CLAY (R LEWIS, J LEWIS, J & L WHEELER): A cluster of 8 parcels with three separate owners are seeking

addition to Agricultural District 3 in the northern portion of Clay. In all, the owners are requesting addition of

437.55 acres of land. Due to the similarity of circumstances and location, they will be summarized together.

The below graphic shows existing agricultural district enrolled lands shaded in green. The yellow outlined are

is the border of the White Pines Commerce Park. The blue outlined parcels are those seeking inclusion in the

district, color coded by owner. (see table on next page)

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This area in northern Clay sits near the boundary with the Town of Cicero, shown with the black line on the

preceding map. The area is characterized by large lot, vacant, wooded and agricultural land, and large lot

housing. Northern Clay has historically been a rural environment, with scattered agricultural, large lot

residential uses and open land. In more recent years, suburban development has occurred to the north,

stemming from the hamlet of Brewerton, and to the south, largely south of NYS Route 31. Town land use

planning has focused somewhat on restricting suburban style growth in the remaining undeveloped northern

portions of the Town.

However, the evolution of the White Pines Commerce Park (in yellow on map) has affected land use and

infrastructure planning in recent years. The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency has secured

ownership of over 300 acres of land proximate to rail and electric power infrastructure in order to market the

land for new high-tech job creating industries. The County has been purchasing additional new parcels of land

recently in order to meet the needs of prospective tenants. Another component of the White Pines site

preparation is the provision of public sewer service to the site. The County is currently researching options for

routing of sewer infrastructure from the Oak Orchard Treatment Plant to the northwest of the Commerce

Park, but has not yet made final siting decisions, so it is unclear whether parcels seeking Agricultural District

protections would be affected by infrastructure changes in the area. As the above map shows, several of the

parcels requesting inclusion into Agricultural District 3 directly abut the White Pines Commerce Park.

The Wheeler family owned lands, shown in dark blue, total 296

acres across 4 parcels. The request form indicates the farm

raises a 46-cow herd of organic Polled Hereford Cows for food

and sale of cows. Some land is rented for hay, and excess hay

is also sold to local horse farms. Gross income ranges from $6-

8,000 annually. The land has two homes, a barn, 2 ponds and

accessory buildings, and is fenced. The owner notes they have

worked with the Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation

District to reseed some of the pastures and hay fields. In

addition to pasture and hay fields, Young’s Creek and

associated state and federal wetlands appear on portions of

the site, as does wooded land.

OWNER PARCEL ACRES*

JONATHAN LEWIS 042.-01-13. 29.98

RONALD LEWIS 0042.-01-07.0 27.34

RONALD LEWIS 048.-01-09.0 33.46

RONALD LEWIS 048.-01-10.0 50.47

D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-11.0 116.76




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The Lewis family is requesting addition of 141

acres between lands owned by Ronald Lewis (111

acres) and Jonathan Lewis (30 acres). The

applicants note most of the property has been in

the family for 100 years and has been continuously

used for farming since the first half of the 19th

century, and has been naturally fertilized and

maintained since clearing, with well drained soils.

The two larger parcels are used for cattle barns,

hay storage and pasture. Jonathan Lewis’ property

contains horse pasture and hay fields with two

barns. The farm currently has 60 head of Black

Angus cattle that are sold direct to consumer and

at auction for feeder stock. Local stables purchase

approximately 50 tons of hay annually, and gross sales average $12-15,000 per year. Young’s Creek flows

through the southern parcels, along with associated limited wetlands primarily along the creek. Three houses

are present on the subject parcels.

ELBRIDGE (HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC): The Hourigan Farms of Elbridge are seeking addition of four

parcels, three in the Town of Elbridge totaling 104 acres, and a 399-acre parcel in the Town of Lysander. The

addition form notes the owners raise crops (hay, soybeans, corn, green beans, wheat) on these lands. The

land is stated to have always been worked as farm land, with a combination of prime and statewide soils. No

non-agricultural uses of the land are described.

Each of these parcels sits in proximity to lands also held by the Hourigan Farms of Elbridge and protected from

development via a Farmland Protection Implementation Grant from New York State. Each of the parcels

contains a sizeable acreage of actively farmed croplands. The 25- and 16-acre parcels lie along the Old Erie

Canal and Canalway Trail/Empire State Trail. The Erie Canal is a historic waterway, along which the State and

Elbridge 029.-01-10.3 (63 acres)

Elbridge 028.-01-01.4 (25 acres) Elbridge 028.-01-06.1 (16 acres) Lysander 037.-02-05.1 (399 acres)

Elbridge 029.-01-10.3 (63 acres)

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local communities are currently partnering to establish and improve a statewide trail and waterway system,

intended to attract recreation and tourism.

ELBRIDGE (MARTIN & LYNNE HANKS): The owner of Willoughby Farm is requesting addition of this 61-acre

parcel in the northern portion of the Town of Elbridge. The land is leased to a local dairy to raise feed, corn

and alfalfa. The request form notes the tilled and wooded property has been used for agriculture for over a

century. The property lies just west of two other parcels being requested for addition by the Hourigan Farms of

Elbridge.

Surrounding land uses are a mix of agricultural fields, swampland, and roadside residential. The site abuts the

Old Erie Canal and Canalway Trail. The parcel is bisected by a portion of Carpenter’s Brook, connecting the

nearby Old Erie Canal to the Seneca River. Associated state and federal wetlands are shown on portions of the

parcel, and floodplain associated with the Brook also occurs on site adjacent to the waterway.

ELBRIDGE (SLEIERTON): The owner of 980 Schaap Road in the Town of Elbridge is requesting the addition of

two parcels, a 6.87-acre parcel and a smaller adjacent rear landlocked parcel (0.94 acres) which was acquired

in 2019 by the applicant. The site is located in a transitional rural area with a mix of land uses in the northern

portion of the Town of Elbridge. Surrounding land uses include woods, vegetated land and wetland, scattered

agricultural uses, a former landfill and roadside residential. Zoning of the parcel and its surroundings is

primarily Agricultural (A) zoning, mixed with nearby Municipal (M) and rural residential (RR) zoning. The

property is adjacent to the Old Erie Canal and Canalway Trail, which borders the northern edge of the parcel.

May 2020 Aerial photography shows the site is developed at its frontage, with the remaining approximately 6

acres being flat, wooded land. The front of the parcel includes a house and detached garage, large areas of

outdoor storage, and various areas of fencing and small structures. The owner notes that she is rebuilding and

renovating the residential structures after a fire. Aerial photos show what appears to be beekeeping boxes

along the northern portion of the parcel.

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The above aerial photo below on the left indicates Agricultural District enrollment in the area south of the

proposed parcel, generally on lands occurring south of Peru Road. The photo on the right includes layers

indicating the presence of state (yellow) and federal (green) wetlands, and FEMA flood plains (pink). Wetland

boundaries encroach slightly onto portions of the site. These wetland areas separate the subject land and

adjacent parcels from actively farmed lands and lands enrolled in the district.

The Agricultural District Request Form asks how much of each parcel is used for agriculture – these questions

were left blank. The owner response to how the parcel is used for commercial agriculture included “growing

garlic, sumac and spearmint for sale at farmers market; fresh chicken eggs also farmer’s market – sublet to

apiary for small business honey farmers”. As in previous years, the applicant states she intends to pursue

various activities for farmer’s market products including spearmint, garlic and eggs, but does not yet appear to

be conducting commercial sales or harvest of products.

The following is a brief overview of cited current and potential agricultural activity:

Chickens: The chicken flock is noted to now yield 1-2 dozen eggs per day, as was stated in the 2020

application.

Garlic & Spearmint: “Crops of garlic will be encouraged and harvested and sold at farmer’s market”;

“Crops of spearmint are growing copiously and ready for harvest”; “Both of these crops just started

growing, having previously been flooded out by excessive rain and flooding caused by the canal

overflow”.

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Sumac: provide berries for use as organic animal feed – available for sale at Farmer’s market, as well

as for holistic teas, jams and skin care products – to be made available at Farmer’s market.”

Goats: notes goats (currently 5) on premises since 2014; goats noted to have penned access and roam

in the field and woods; used at local events; noted as used for weed eating on at least 3 local

properties to remove overgrowth and noxious weeds, as was stated in prior years.

Bee Hives: Hives, visible in aerial photos, are noted as placed annually by the Perry Family, The

Beekeeper’s Daughter.

It does not appear that agricultural activity has changed significantly since the 2019 or 2020 Ag District

reviews, and activity appears to be minimal and more hobby farm activity in nature. It is unclear whether the

landowner is realizing any measurable sales or income from the abovementioned activities, often citing that

the products could be sold at a farmer’s market. The owner notes in the current application “Farmers market

sales have not yet begun, because I am in fear of yet ANOTHER ToE [Town of Elbridge] violation for “running a

business from my home” – as has happened before – yet again substantiating the reason for protections under

Ag districting.”

To describe what makes the land highly suitable for agriculture, the owner referred potential timber use and

hunting, and to previous submitted information regarding USDA Growing Zones (Zone 5), and NC State

Extension and Cornell periodicals regarding use of goats for weed control.

The owner has a history of conflict with the Town and neighbors regarding conditions of the property,

habitability and/or repair of the house, keeping of animals, and storage of refuse on the parcel. Aerial

photography from May 2020 shows a significant number of small structures and storage areas at the front of

the site, however, in a February 2021 conversation with the Town of Elbridge Codes Office, nearly all code

violations have been addressed.

The applicant expressed to Syracuse-Onondaga County Planning Agency (SOCPA) staff in 2019 that she would

like Agricultural District protections in part to help defend against complaints by the Town and neighbors. The

2020 and 2021 submission continues to note that they are seeking reprieve from private nuisance of

neighbor’s harassment, and spurious town code violations. The nature of the alleged harassment and code

violations do not appear to involve commercial agricultural activities that might be offered protection by

enrollment in the Agricultural Districts program.

ELBRIDGE (SHOPE): A single parcel (153 acres) at the corner of State Street Road (County Route 5) and Fikes

Road, just east of the Village of Elbridge is proposed. The land is currently leased and farmed by Gemini Farms

(John & Nancy Hourigan), to provide feed for the dairy farm, planting hay, alfalfa and occasionally corn on the

land. The owner also uses non-farmed portions of the property for recreation. The parcel is largely

surrounded by agricultural lands enrolled in the Agricultural District. The farmed lands are buffered from

2018

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adjacent development to the west by forested lands on site. Carpenter’s Brook runs through portions of the

site, as do associated wetlands and floodplain.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The farm sector in Onondaga County is strong and stable and the Onondaga County Agricultural and Farmland

Protection Plan, Onondaga County 2010 Development Guide and municipal planning documents identify

protection of agriculture and farmland as an important goal for preserving the character of rural areas.

As mentioned in the Introduction to this report, the requested additions were examined primarily for the

presence and characteristics of onsite and related commercial farm operations and production opportunities,

highly suitable land, location relative to existing agricultural districts, nearby development and natural

features.

While some existing and proposed activities on site may be characterized as agricultural in nature, the

requested tax parcels 029.-03-14.2 and 029.-03-35.0 in the Town of Elbridge do not currently exhibit the

abovementioned characteristics in a manner to justify inclusion in the District at this time. The noted

agricultural production opportunities do not appear at this time to constitute a potential commercial farm

enterprise by NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets guidance, in terms of scale, sales, assets and

investment, experience and other factors used by the department in provision of Agricultural District

protections, nor does the land appear at this time to be affiliated with another nearby commercial farm

enterprise. As such, this parcel is not recommended to the County Legislature for addition to Agricultural

District 3.

The Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board recommends adding the remaining 16 requested parcels to

Agricultural Districts 1 and 3, as they have demonstrated all or most of the abovementioned desired

characteristics. The total acreage being recommended for addition is 1,186.16 acres. The Board notes its

recommendations to the Onondaga County Legislature in the following table:

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2021 RECOMMENDED ADDITIONS

DISTRICT TOWN OWNER PARCEL ACRES*

1 ONONDAGA BRIAN & MEGAN LUTON 056.-01-03.1 7.14

District 1 Total 7.14

3 CLAY JAMES R. HART / JEANNETTE L. LOFTUS HART 023.-01-03.6 25.16


3 CLAY JONATHAN LEWIS 042.-01-13.0 29.98










3 ELBRIDGE MARTIN & LYNNE HANKS 029.-02-07.1 60.63

3 ELBRIDGE MICHELLE L SHOPE 037.-01-15.1 153.12

3 LYSANDER HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC 037.-02-05.1 398.78

District 3 Total 1,179.02

GRAND TOTAL 1,186.16

Two requested parcels are not recommended for addition in 2021 (Elbridge, 029.-03-14.2 and 029.-03-35.0).

* Calculated using a Geographic Information System (GIS), not Real Property Services (RPS) data.

APPENDICES

Resolution - Annual 30-Day

Form - Annual Additions Request

Resolution - Public Hearing Notice

Notice - Public Hearing Notice

Letter - Public Hearing Landowner

Minutes - Public Hearing

Resolution - Approval

Map – Annual Additions Map

SEQRA - Environmental Assessment Form

O n e i d a L a k e

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41

2

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3037.-01-15.1

029.-01-10.3

056.-01-03.1

028.-01-01.4

028.-01-06.1

029.-02-07.1

037.-02-05.1

023.-01-03.6

042.-01-13.0

042.-01-07.0

048.-01-09.0

048.-01-10.0

048.-01-11.0

048.-01-13.0

048.-01-18.0

048.-01-19.0

ONONDAGA

NATION

Baldwinsvi l le

Solvay

Manl ius

Minoa

Jordan

Fayettevi l le

Skaneateles

Tul ly

Elbr idge

NorthSyracuse

EastSyracuse

Liverpool

Marcel lus

Fabius

Camillus

C L A Y

P O M P E Y

C I C E R O

F A B I U S

L Y S A N D E R

M A N L I U S

O N O N D A G A D E W I T T

T U L L Y

O T I S C O

L A F A Y E T T E

E L B R I D G E

S P A F F O R D

C A M I L L U S

S K A N E A T E L E S

V A N B U R E N

M A R C E L L U S

S Y R A C U S E

S A L I N A

G E D D E S

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Onondaga County Agricultural Districts

2021 Recommended Additions

LEGE ND

2021 Recommended Additions

Agricultural District 3




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