All Purpose Vehicles
Ohio’s Agricultural Districts
and Agricultural Security Areas
Ohio law holds an important protection for agricultural land
called agricultural districts. In addition to the benefits that
individual landowners accrue, this process also serves as an
important farmland preservation tool for the state.
Enrolling in an Agricultural
District Landowners can enroll their
any municipality, the auditor will review
and approve the application.243
land in an agricultural district through
application to their county auditor.241
Agricultural district applications require
no fee. In order to qualify land as an
agricultural district, the owner must
show the land is at least 10 acres or had
an average gross income of at least $2,500
for each of the last three years, or the land
is enrolled in a federal conservation or
land retirement program.242 While the
requirements for an agricultural district
are the same as those for the current
agricultural use valuation program,
they are separate programs that land
has to be individually enrolled in. After
application, if land is located outside of
within a municipality or an annexation
petition has previously been filed
regarding the property, the legislative
body of the municipality must also
approve the agricultural district
enrollment.244 The municipality must
accept, modify or reject the application
within 30 days. If the municipality
chooses to modify or reject the
application, it must demonstrate a
substantial adverse effect on the provision
of municipal services, the efficient use of
land, orderly growth and development,
241
242
243
244
ORC 929.02(A)
ORC 929.02(A)
Agricultural Districts in
Municipalities If the land is located
47
ORC 929.02(A)(2)
ORC 929.02(B)