[§205-43]  Important agricultural lands;
policies.  State and county agricultural policies, tax policies, land use
plans, ordinances, and rules shall promote the long-term viability of
agricultural use of important agricultural lands and shall be consistent with
and implement the following policies:



(1)  Promote the retention of important agricultural
lands in blocks of contiguous, intact, and functional land units large enough
to allow flexibility in agricultural production and management;



(2)  Discourage the fragmentation of important
agricultural lands and the conversion of these lands to nonagricultural uses;



(3)  Direct nonagricultural uses and activities from
important agricultural lands to other areas and ensure that uses on important
agricultural lands are actually agricultural uses;



(4)  Limit physical improvements on important
agricultural lands to maintain affordability of these lands for agricultural
purposes;



(5)  Provide a basic level of infrastructure and
services on important agricultural lands limited to the minimum necessary to
support agricultural uses and activities;



(6)  Facilitate the long-term dedication of important
agricultural lands for future agricultural use through the use of incentives;



(7)  Facilitate the access of farmers to important
agricultural lands for long-term viable agricultural use; and



(8)  Promote the maintenance of essential agricultural
infrastructure systems, including irrigation systems. [L 2005, c 183, pt of §2]