As used in this subchapter, the following words and terms shall have the
following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Board" means a county agriculture development board established pursuant
to 4:1C-14 or a subregional agricultural retention board established
pursuant to 4:1C-17.
"Committee" means the State Agriculture Development Committee established
pursuant to 4:1C-4.
"Development easement" means an interest in land, less than fee simple
title thereto, which interest represents the right to develop that land for all nonagricultural purposes and
which interest may be transferred under laws authorizing the transfer of development potential.
"Farmland" means land identified as having prime or unique soils as
classified by the Natural Resource Conservation Service in the United States Department of Agriculture,
having soils of Statewide importance according to criteria adopted by the State Soil Conservation Committee,
established pursuant to 4:24-3, or having soils of local importance as identified by
local soil conservation districts, and which land qualifies for differential property taxation pursuant to
the "Farmland Assessment Act of 1964," P.L. 1964, c.48 (54:4-23.1 et seq.), and any other land on the farm
that is necessary to accommodate farm practices as determined by the State Agriculture Development
Committee.
"Farmland preservation," "farmland preservation purposes" or
"preservation of farmland" means the permanent preservation of farmland to support agricultural or
horticultural production as the first priority use of that land.
"120-day commitment letter" means a document prepared by the committee
and signed by the landowner and committee that requires the landowner to refrain from entering into any
option agreement, contract of sale, or any other agreement affecting title to the subject farm for a period
of 120 days during which time the Committee shall hire two independent appraisers to appraise the subject
farm.
"Quality score" means the Committee's numeric total derived from the
application of the criteria for evaluating a development easement application contained in
2:76-6.1 6.
