"Land Stewardship" Program Still A Question Mark

Illinois landowners still cannot sign up for the conservation program that will let them pay reduced property taxes in exchange for managing woodlands, prairies and wetlands for wildlife. Hasn't anyone told Springfield that the year is nearly over?

The law was to take effect immediately upon signing by the Ayatollah , erhh, we mean the Governor, on the first of October. So far, no sign-up is available through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for the program.

The lack of a sign-up could mean that landowners will pay property taxes on non-agricultural land at a much higher tax rate until the new law is implemented.

The Ethanol's coming, The Ethanol's coming!

The Daily Pantagraph reports Greg Jackson and Kyle Ham believe at least one ethanol production facility is in Woodford County's near future.

The interests here in the County being what they are we seriously doubt that there will be much media coverage of some of the rather unpleasant facts attending the ethanol boom. That leaves us with the job and placing the bulls-eye directly on our back.

First off, if ethanol is a way to fight foreign oil dependence, why the heck is there a tariff on Brazilian ethanol and not on Saudi oil? Just a question.

Alright then, let's see 4 up to 70 jobs created! (We wonder if that range could be pinned down a bit better.) Higher prices for grain! Higher property values! Decreased dependence on oil!

The first person to say it's "win-win" may just get slapped.

Let's take the last first. Without going nuts on the numbers, suffice it to say they just don't add up. According to the USDA's latest figures the fossil fuel input is almost equal to the ethanol output! On top of this, of course are the huge corn subsidies, the 51 cent per gallon direct subsidy (not the net ethanol, but rather the gross which is mostly recycled fossil fuels). Granted - there are huge oil and gas subsidies as well. That's worked out real well for us, hasn't it?

Now for no extra charge, you get huge demands on water tables and higher food prices with reduced corn exports. This is all presumably to replace a minuscule percentage of our national oil and gas consumption.

That's not to say this would not be good to some farmers, ethanol producers, and ag conglomerates because it will. Perhaps there even would be a financial windfall for the County Government.

Most commodities folks we know say if you haven't already invested in your ethanol plant, you probably shouldn't, because corn-based ethanol will only last 5 years or so and then the plants will be converted to other biomass like grass, cellulose, etc.

At any rate - here's the uncomfortable question:

Why on earth would we want to turn agriculture on its head in this way for what all the world looks to be a short term profit? Why have we embarked on such a dangerous public policy initiative? Every time the government gets involved in the markets it mucks them up.

We realize that Woodford County is going to ride this wave. We just hope the local effects justify the state and national policies, and no one falls off the surf board.

New Woodford Board to grow SOD?

The Pantagraph reported on Woodford County's new Board Chairman and the face of the newly seated Board. Nothing too earth shattering there.

Of interest is a new "Long Term Plan" for the County quite unfortunately named "Shape Our Destiny 2025". Who came up with that? The acronym would be S.O.D. Perhaps that needs a little tweaking.

On a serious note we sincerely hope that SOD isn't a cloak for super-zoning ordinances, super-Board Committees, and an attempt at "New Urbanism". We're all for looking ahead, you know - who are we, where are we, how did we get here, where are we going, blah, blah, blah - strategic planning 101. It just makes our wallets tingle when we see consultants and architects and "public input" meetings. When we first hear mention of "sprawl" we will lock the wallets in the safe deposit box at the bank.

Metamora "Master Plan"

The Metamora Planning Commission put out a "plan" in June. You can see it here.

Wow. Wonder what that cost? Ya know them consultants, architects and that fancy paper ain't cheap. But if it prevents just ONE urban sprawl, isn't it worth it?

Seriously, it always disturbs us a bit when the "committee" or "commission" or "advisory group" gets its "public input" and then has its architect move around a couple of lines so they can say, "This is the community's plan, not our plan. Far be it from us to think we know how to plan this community best".

We certainly don't know the situation in Metamora - we're just sayin' . . .

Remember Woodford County's "40 Acres" and a mewl?

There is apparently a Champaign County Board meeting tonight on "Township Boundary changes". That seems to be code for land use restrictions on a County-wide basis.This should sound familiar to property owners of Woodford County as we dealt with it a year ago. From a poster over at the IlliniPundit:

“This issue of preserving prime farmland by relinquishing the owner’s property rights is a huge issue. How would you like to be a landowner and have your county board dictate new zoning regulations that restrict your ability to sell off home sites? Ten years ago a one acre home site was legal by right. Today the new zoning text amendments are proposing to restrict the landowner to one lot per forty acres with a maximum of four additional lots per tax parcel.

Here’s an example; if you owned sixty acres you could have a minimum six, possibly more home sites. If the new regs went through, you would be limited to one home site. How can the county board even consider doing this to the citizens of this county?

Especially when you see that the loss of farm land is not a big issue outside the urban sprawl of CU. CU is the culprit, not the rural landowners."

Brush up on the information because this issue will not go away quietly in Woodford County. Certain Board factions will be back again with something this next year.

[ UPDATE - 11/22/06]:

There was a large turnout for Champaign County's meeting and the ordinances will not be changed - for now; demonstrates what citizen turn-out can do at local meetings.