Vermont Statutes Title 32 Sec. 3751
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 32 Sec. 3751
- Agricultural land: means any land, exclusive of any housesite, in active use to grow hay or cultivated crops, pasture livestock, cultivate trees bearing edible fruit, or produce an annual maple product, and that is 25 acres or more in size, except as provided in this subdivision (1). See
- Development: means , for the purposes of determining whether a land use change tax is to be assessed under section 3757 of this chapter, the construction of any building, road, or other structure, or any mining, excavation, or landfill activity. See
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
§ 3751. Statement of purpose
The purpose of this subchapter is to encourage and assist the maintenance of Vermont’s productive agricultural land and forestland; to encourage and assist in their conservation and preservation for future productive use and for the protection of natural ecological systems and services, including air and water quality, wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors, enhanced biodiversity, and forest health and integrity; to prevent the accelerated conversion of these lands to more intensive use by the pressure of property taxation at values incompatible with the productive capacity of the land; to achieve more equitable taxation for undeveloped lands; to encourage and assist in the preservation and enhancement of Vermont’s scenic natural resources; to assist in climate adaptation and mitigation; and to enable the citizens of Vermont to plan its orderly growth in the face of increasing development pressures in the interests of the public health, safety, and welfare. (Added 1977, No. 236 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 518, eff. July 1, 2022; amended 2021, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. July 1, 2023.)