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
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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
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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 RONALD LEWIS 048.-01-09.0 33.46
3 CLAY RONALD LEWIS 048.-01-10.0 50.47
3 CLAY D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-11.0 116.76
3 CLAY D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-13.0 116.77
3 CLAY D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-18.0 52.04
3 CLAY D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-19.0 10.73
3 ELBRIDGE HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC 028.-01-01.4 24.67
3 ELBRIDGE HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC 028.-01-06.1 16.41
3 ELBRIDGE HOURIGAN FARMS OF ELBRIDGE LLC 029.-01-10.3 62.70
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
D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-13.0 116.77
D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-18.0 52.04
D. JAMES & LINDA L. WHEELER 048.-01-19.0 10.73
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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