P L E N T Y SUMMER 2019 Plenty Summer 2019-joomag copy | Page 5

to Montgomery County restricting development
The Reserve, however, is much more than a
in perpetuity to no more than one residence for
place to visit. It is a working landscape of over 540
each 25 acres. Today, almost three-fourths of the
farms and 350 horticultural enterprises, which
Reserve’s farmland is protected in perpetuity by
generate more than a quarter billion dollars a year
TDR easements granted to Montgomery County
in income, making agriculture one of the county’s
or by other easements granted to the Maryland
most important businesses. The Reserve’s coun-
Environmental Trust (MET) or the Maryland Agri-
try villages and communities, historic homes,
cultural Land Preservation Fund (MALPF).
barns, and churches embody much of the county’s
The result for Montgomery County is the sus-
cultural heritage. Encompassing a third of the
tenance of landscape of beauty, cultural richness,
county’s land area, it provides an array of critical
and abundance. The Agricultural Reserve made it
environmental services for the region. Its fields
possible for the county to grow more efficiently,
and forests sequester carbon, helping clean the
reducing sprawl and its ef-
air. Forested headwaters and
fects while accommodating
stream buffers, combine with
Unlike much of the land near
the same amount of growth
best practices by farmers
that would have occurred if
to protect water quality in
great metropolitan areas, the
it had been otherwise open
Potomac tributaries, helping
Agricultural Reserve is not just
for subdivision.
restore the Chesapeake Bay.
When the Reserve is
Unlike much of the land
temporarily open, waiting to be
added to the 37,000 acres
near great metropolitan ar-
of parkland managed by the
eas, the Agricultural Reserve
developed. Established nearly
Maryland-National Capital
is not just temporarily open,
40
years
ago
as
an
essential
Park and Planning Commis-
waiting to be developed. Es-
sion and 17,000 acres of state
tablished nearly 40 years ago
feature of the county’s “Wedges
and national parks, almost
as an essential feature of the
and Corridors” comprehensive
half the land area of Mont-
county’s “Wedges and Cor-
gomery County is in public
ridors” comprehensive plan,
plan, it is the nation’s best
or private open space. This
it is the nation’s best example
example
of
land
permanently
great resource adds immea-
of land permanently protect-
ed for farming in a large and
surably to the quality of life
protected for farming in a large
growing metropolitan area.
for our residents, making
This was done by a combina-
the county one of the best
and growing metropolitan area
tion of public policies. Zoning
places in America to live. It
that made agriculture the
adds value to homes and is
preferred use and limited residential development
an important feature that attracts and helps retain
to no more than one house per 25 acres. Public
one of the nation’s most talented workforces.
water and sewerage service was not extended
When the County Council approved the
into the Reserve, respecting its natural “carrying
master plan for Preservation of Agriculture and
capacity.” Landowners, however, could sell their
Rural Open Space in 1980, it protected the green
former right to build a house for each five acres
lungs of the county. The Reserve set the national
to builders in other parts of the county that were
standard for effective protection of farming on the
planned for more intensive development.
metropolitan edge. Its bounty is displayed annu-
As they sold these Transferable Development
ally at the county fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. It
Rights (TDRs), landowners recovered equity in the
is directly available in season on Reserve farms,
land earned by years of husbandry and invest-
at farmers’ markets in communities across the
ment. This allowed farming to continue. When de-
region, through farm-to-table cooperatives, and
velopment rights are sold, an easement is granted
at grocery stores that feature locally-grown foods.
PLENTY I SUMMER GROWING 2019
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