Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 42-82 - Farmland Preservation Act

• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• Agricultural land: means any land in the state of five (5) contiguous acres or larger that is suitable for agriculture by reference to soil type, existing use for agricultural purposes and other criteria to be developed by the commission and may include adjacent pastures, ponds, natural drainage areas and other adjacent areas which the commission deems necessary for farm operations;

  (2)  "Agricultural lands preservation commission" or "commission" means the commission established pursuant to § 42-82-3;

  (3)  "Agricultural operation" means any individual, partnership or corporation that complies with § 44-27-3 and § 2-1-22(j) and produces and distributes a commercial food, feed, fiber or horticultural product. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-82-2

• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Cost: when used with reference to acquisition of development rights, means as of any particular date the cost subsequently incurred of purchasing the development rights, property rights and all other necessary expenses incident to planning, financing, and implementing the provisions of this chapter;

  (5)  "Development rights" means the rights of the fee simple owner to develop, construct on, divide, sell, lease, or otherwise change the property in such a way as to render the land unsuitable for agriculture; this includes the exercise of the owner's rights to sell or grant easements or rights of way, or to sell the mineral or water rights or other rights if by that exercise the use of the land as productive agricultural land is diminished; but does not include the rights of the owner to sell, lease, or otherwise improve the agricultural land to preserve, maintain, operate, or continue the land as agricultural land or all other customary rights and privileges of ownership, including the right to privacy. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-82-2

• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Development rights: means the rights of the fee simple owner to develop, construct on, divide, sell, lease, or otherwise change the property in such a way as to render the land unsuitable for agriculture; this includes the exercise of the owner's rights to sell or grant easements or rights of way, or to sell the mineral or water rights or other rights if by that exercise the use of the land as productive agricultural land is diminished; but does not include the rights of the owner to sell, lease, or otherwise improve the agricultural land to preserve, maintain, operate, or continue the land as agricultural land or all other customary rights and privileges of ownership, including the right to privacy. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-82-2
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. ^{Source: U.S. Mint}
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• seal: shall be construed to include an impression of the seal made with or without the use of wax or wafer on the paper. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-15
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• town council: include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8