The Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District (O.R.C. Section 929.02) is the form an owner of farmland files to have the land placed in an agricultural district for five years. In Cuyahoga County the Fiscal Department administers the Agricultural District Program, one of the Cuyahoga County property tax programs for farmland. The same form serves new and renewal applications. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form and its filing rules come from the agency.
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What is Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District – Cuyahoga County, OH?
The Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District is the form, issued under O.R.C. Section 929.02, with which an owner of land used for agricultural production asks the county to place that land in an agricultural district for a five-year period.
The form has a box at the top for a New Application or a Renewal. Part A identifies the owner and the land, Part B asks whether the land lies in a municipal corporation or is subject to pending annexation, Part C asks about current agricultural use valuation and the past three years of land use, and Part D covers land of less than 10 acres. The owner signs an authorization and declaration that lets the county auditor inspect the property.
According to the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Department, an agricultural district defers collection of new water, sewer and electrical assessments as long as the land is farmed. It also gives legal protection to generally accepted agricultural practices in a nuisance lawsuit, and limited protection against eminent domain. It does not reduce real estate taxes the way the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program does.
CAUV and the Agricultural District Program are two separate programs. The same land can qualify for either or both, but applying for one does not enroll you in the other, and each needs its own application. This form is the agricultural district application only.
Who needs to file Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District – Cuyahoga County, OH?
Any owner of land used for agricultural production may file this application to have the land placed in an agricultural district. The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Department says the program uses the same eligibility requirements as CAUV.
Conditions printed on the form:
- The land must have been used exclusively for agricultural production, or devoted to and qualified for payments under a federal land retirement or conservation program, for the three consecutive calendar years before the year you apply.
- Timber not grown for commercial purposes counts only if the land is contiguous to or part of a parcel under common ownership that is otherwise devoted exclusively to agricultural use.
- If the land totals less than 10 acres, you must also show evidence of gross income from agricultural production.
- Owners whose land lies within a municipal corporation, or is covered by a pending annexation petition, must also give a copy to the municipal clerk.
Owners who want to continue in the program after five years file the same form as a renewal. Do not use this form to enroll in CAUV: that program needs a separate application.
When to file Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District – Cuyahoga County, OH
A new application may be filed at any time during the year; it places the land in an agricultural district for five years. The form and the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Department both say there is no fixed filing season for the original application.
A renewal application has a window. File it after the first Monday in January and before the first Monday in March of the year in which your agricultural district terminates. The renewal covers a period ending on the first Monday in April of the fifth year following the renewal application, and it must meet the same land requirements as the original.
If the land is not in a municipal corporation and no annexation petition has been filed, the county auditor notifies you of its action within 30 days after filing. For land in a municipality, the legislative body holds a public hearing within 30 days after the application is filed with its Clerk.
Documents you need
- Evidence of gross income for each of the past 3 years, if the land totals less than 10 acres and the average yearly income from agricultural production was at least $2,500.
- Evidence of anticipated gross income, if the land totals less than 10 acres and you expect it to produce at least $2,500 a year; the form says a short statement is enough.
- A short statement for the income evidence: the number of animals by species and anticipated market value, or the acres of crops, expected yield and price per bushel, or similar specific information.
- A copy of the application for the Clerk of the municipal legislative body, if any land is within a municipal corporation limit or subject to a pending annexation petition.
- The most recent property tax statement, for reference: Part A asks for the land description exactly as it appears there.
How to fill out Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District – Cuyahoga County, OH
Mark new application or renewal
At the top of the form, check New Application or Renewal. Print or type all entries.
Enter owner name and address
In Part A, write the owner's name and the owner's address.
Describe the land and its location
Copy the description of the land as shown on the most recent tax statement. List each tax district, parcel number and number of acres, then enter the total number of acres. Describe the location by street or road and county.
Answer the municipal corporation question
In Part B, check Yes or No on whether any land lies within a municipal corporation limit or is subject to pending annexation. If Yes, remember that a copy must go to the municipal clerk.
Report current valuation and land use
In Part C, check Yes or No on whether the land is taxed at its current agricultural use valuation under Section 5713.31 of the Ohio Revised Code. If No, enter acres for last year, two years ago and three years ago in each use category, and the total acres.
Answer the 10-acre question
In Part D, answer whether the land totals 10 acres or more devoted exclusively to agricultural production or to a federal land retirement or conservation program. If it does, skip the rest of Part D.
Add income evidence if under 10 acres
If you answered No in Part D, attach either evidence of gross income for the past 3 years or evidence of anticipated gross income, as items 1 and 2 describe.
Sign and date the declaration
The owner signs and dates the Authorization and Declaration, which allows the county auditor to inspect the property and confirms the application is true, accurate and correct.
Leave page 3 blank
Do not complete the official-use page; the county auditor and the clerk of the municipal legislative body fill it in.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that the land description matches the tax statement and that any required evidence is attached. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and file it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Application for Placement of Farmland in an Agricultural District – Cuyahoga County, OH
File the completed application with the auditor of the county where the land is located; for land in Cuyahoga County, the Fiscal Department's Appraisal Division administers the program and answers questions at 216-443-4663. The form prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule, and the Fiscal Department states there is no application fee.
- County auditor: every application goes to the county auditor. The auditor may inspect the property to verify it, as the signed authorization allows.
- Municipal clerk (additional copy): if any land lies within a municipal corporation limit, or an annexation petition that includes the land has been filed with the Board of County Commissioners under Section 709.02 of the Ohio Revised Code, also file a copy with the Clerk of the municipal legislative body.
Leave page 3 blank; the county auditor and the municipal clerk complete it. If the application is denied, you may appeal to the court of common pleas of the county where you filed within thirty days of receiving the notice. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Completing page 3, which is reserved for the county auditor and the clerk of the municipal legislative body.
- Filling in Part D when the acreage totals 10 acres or more; the form says to skip it.
- Leaving out the income evidence when the land is under 10 acres and Part D is answered No.
- Not filing a copy with the municipal clerk when part of the land lies within a municipal corporation or is subject to pending annexation.
- Filing a renewal outside the window, which runs after the first Monday in January and before the first Monday in March of the year the district terminates.
- Skipping the three-year land use table in Part C when the land is not currently taxed at its agricultural use valuation.
- Describing the land differently from the property tax statement instead of copying the description, tax districts and parcel numbers shown there.
- Assuming this application also enrolls the land in CAUV or lowers real estate taxes; it does neither, and CAUV needs its own application.
- Removing land before the 5-year enrollment period ends, which carries a penalty under Section 929.02(D) of the Ohio Revised Code.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Agricultural District Program in Cuyahoga County?
It is a voluntary program, administered by the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Department, that gives farmland the identity of an agricultural district for five years. Owners get a deferment on new water, sewer and electrical assessments while the land is farmed, plus legal protection in nuisance lawsuits against generally accepted farming practices.
Does an agricultural district lower my property taxes?
No. The Fiscal Department states that having an Agricultural District does not reduce real estate taxes, unlike the CAUV program. The two programs are separate, and applying for one does not enroll you in the other; each needs its own application.
Is there a fee to apply for an agricultural district?
No. The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Department says there is no application fee for the Agricultural District Program. Call its Appraisal Division at 216-443-4663 if you have questions about the application.
When can I file the agricultural district application?
A new application can be filed at any time during the year and covers a five-year period. Renewals must be filed after the first Monday in January and before the first Monday in March of the year the district terminates.
What do I need if my land is under 10 acres?
Complete Part D and attach evidence of gross income from agricultural production: either past income of at least $2,500 on average over 3 years, or anticipated annual gross income of that amount. A short statement of animals, acres, yield and price can serve as the evidence.
Do I also file with the city or village?
Only if any of the land lies within a municipal corporation, or an annexation petition covering it has been filed under Section 709.02. Then a copy must also go to the Clerk of the municipal legislative body, which holds a public hearing within 30 days of filing.
What happens if I take land out before five years?
Land removed before the 5-year enrollment period is subject to a penalty under Section 929.02(D) of the Ohio Revised Code. The county auditor's office can explain how the amount is determined. The Fiscal Department says converting to another use after five years carries no penalty.
Can I appeal if my application is denied?
Yes. You may appeal a denial to the court of common pleas of the county where you filed within thirty days of receiving the denial notice. For land in a municipality, the same 30 days apply to a modification or rejection by the legislative body.
Can I fill out this application online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the application; you file it with the county auditor, and with the municipal clerk when required.
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