MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has approved an increase to the amount paid to landowners for disturbance caused by road construction.
The update to procedure #4017 came by way of motion during a recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and online.
“Operational services inquired with the county’s assessment services department for 2023 land sales data,” said Jeff Holmes, Mountain View County's chief administrative officer. “Based on this assessment data, average sale price was $5,303 per acre and the median sales rate was $5,189 per acre. The average price increased $201.47 per acre from 2022 while the median price increased $189.66 per acre.”
The procedure states that “private land needs to be purchased or utilized by the county for those construction projects that require road widening and, in some special situations, land for hill cuts, back slopes, speed curves, sight distance improvements and borrow pits.
“The procedure for land acquisition and disturbance payments are right of entry agreement, landowner payment, landowner construction amendment, and crop and land disturbance payment (outlined in procedure schedules).
The landowner payment schedule addresses payment for various items, including land purchase, land disturbance, crop loss, fences, installation and replacement, borrow pits dugouts, landscape borrow, back sloping of ditches, and test holes.
Based on the data provided by the assessment department, administration recommended an increase to the county’s land purchase price from $5,000 to $5,300 per acre.
Landowners can appeal to council if they are not happy with the amount offered, said Holmes.
The amount paid per acre in 2020 was $4,000, council heard.
Coun. Jennifer Lutz said acres in her Division 7 can typically sell for $10,000 or more.
Council carried a motion approving the increase to land purchase to $5,300 per acre.
The land disturbance payment and crop loss payments remain unchanged at $500 per acre with a $200 minimum payment.
