By Dianne Edmondson, Denton County Commissioner Pct. 4
The Denton Central Appraisal District (DCAD) Board of Directors held a meeting on Dec. 16 to discuss proposed changes to agriculture exemptions that were set to be in effect on Jan. 1, 2022.
The suggested changes outlined more specifics such as adding more degrees of intensity standards based on looking to see what surrounding counties were requiring.
Though all current property owners would have been grandfathered in the new proposed changes, concerns arose among a number of Denton County residents about the impacts the changes could have on their land values if they wanted to sell their property and whether a new owner would be able to meet new agriculture exemption rules. The proposed changes also could impact individuals to whom they might sell their property or to future generations in their families who might inherit.
In Denton County, an estimated 1,323 farms or about 40 percent are 1 to 9 acres in size. Another 1,320 or 40 percent are 10 to 49 acres in size. An estimated 389 or 12 percent of the farms in Denton County are 50 to 179 acres in size.
Because of limited public notice and the number of property owners with Ag exemptions across Denton County, particularly in Precinct 4, Judge Andy Eads and I attended the DCAD meeting on Thursday night along with about 50 or so other landowners.
He and I spoke to the DCAD Board about the limited public notice, asking them to postpone their decision. I reminded all attendees that DCAD is not accountable to any other entity across the county, including Commissioners Court.
We also asked them to increase their Ag advisory board to include more individuals, which they agreed to do. The DCAD board of directors also voted to table the proposed Ag exemption changes.
As your representatives, both the Judge and I stood up for the rights of all our residents to have their voices heard.
The proposed guidelines as well as the existing guidelines for the Ag exemption are available here.
You can download or print both. In addition, if you have any input to share on the proposed guidelines, please send an email to [email protected].
We will keep you updated on further developments with the Denton Central Appraisal District and the Ag exemptions.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Dianne Edmondson can be reached at (972) 434-3960. Her office is located in the Southwest Courthouse, 6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 900, in Flower Mound.
