The board may, after public hearing, identify and recommend an area as an agricultural development area, which recommendation shall be forwarded to the county planning board. The board shall document where agriculture shall be the preferred, but not necessarily the exclusive, use of land if that area:

a. Encompasses productive agricultural lands which are currently in production or have a strong potential for future production in agriculture and in which agriculture is a permitted use under the current municipal zoning ordinance or in which agriculture is permitted as a nonconforming use;

b. Is reasonably free of suburban and conflicting commercial development;

c. Comprises not greater than 90% of the agricultural land mass of the county;

d. Incorporates any other characteristics deemed appropriate by the board.

Approval of the agricultural development area by the board shall be in no way construed to authorize exclusive agricultural zoning or any zoning which would have the practical effect of exclusive agricultural zoning, nor shall the adoption be used by any tax official to alter the value of the land identified pursuant hereto or the assessment of taxes thereon.

L.1983, c. 32, s. 11, eff. Jan. 26, 1983, operative Jan. 26, 1983.