N.J. Admin. Code § 2:76-3.12

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 2:76-3.12 - Deed restrictions

(a) The following deed restrictions shall be agreed to by the board and the landowner(s) when a farmland preservation program is adopted and shall run with the land:

Grantor promises that the Premises shall at all times for the term of the agreement be owned, used and conveyed subject to:

1. The Premises shall be retained in agricultural use and production unless the land is withdrawn from the program in compliance with N.J.S.A. 4:1C-11 et seq., P.L. 1983, c.32, and all other rules promulgated by the State Agriculture Development Committee, (hereinafter Committee). Agricultural use shall mean the use of land for common farmsite activities including, but not limited to: production, harvesting, storage, grading, packaging, processing and the wholesale and retail marketing of crops, plants, animals and other related commodities and the use and application of techniques and methods of soil preparation and management, fertilization, weed, disease and pest control, disposal of farm waste, irrigation, drainage and water management, and grazing.

2. Grantor certifies that at the time of petitioning the Grantee to enter into a farmland preservation program the nonagricultural uses indicated on attached Schedule (C) existed on the Premises. All other nonagricultural uses are prohibited except as expressly provided in this agreement.

3. All nonagricultural uses existing on the Premises at the time of the landowner's petition to the Grantee as set forth in Section 2 above may be continued and any structure may be restored or repaired in the event of partial destruction thereof, subject to the following:

i. No new structures or the expansion of pre-existing structures for nonagricultural use are permitted;

ii. No change in the pre-existing nonagricultural use is permitted;

iii. No expansion of the pre-existing nonagricultural use is permitted; and

iv. In the event that the Grantor abandons the pre-existing nonagricultural use, the right of the Grantor to continue the use is extinguished.

4. Grantor shall comply with agricultural management practices recommended by the Committee, insofar as those practices are applicable to the land and the type of farming conducted on the Premises.

5. The land and its buildings which are affected hereby may be sold collectively or individually for continued agricultural production and related uses as defined in Section 1, of this agreement. In the event Grantor intends to subdivide the subject lands, Grantor shall advise Grantee prior to initiating such action.

6. No sand, gravel, loam, rock, or other minerals shall be deposited on or removed from the Premises excepting only those materials required for the agricultural purpose for which the land is being used. Grantor retains and reserves all oil, gas, and other mineral rights in the land underlying the Premises, provided that any prospective drilling and/or mining will be done by slant from adjacent property or in any other manner which will not materially affect the agricultural operation.

7. No dumping or placing of trash or waste material shall be permitted on the Premises unless expressly recommended by the Committee as an agricultural management practice.

8. No activity shall be permitted on the Premises which would be detrimental to drainage, flood control, water conservation, erosion control, or soil conservation, nor shall any other activity be permitted which would be detrimental to the continued agricultural use of the land.

9. Grantor may use the Premises to derive income from certain recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, cross country skiing and ecological tours, only if such activities do not interfere with the actual use of the land for agricultural production and that the activities only utilize the Premises in its existing condition. Other recreational activities from which income is derived and which alter the Premises, such as golf courses and athletic fields, are prohibited.

10. Nothing shall be construed to convey a right to the public of access to or use of the Premises except as stated in this agreement or as otherwise provided by law.

11. Nothing shall impose upon the Grantor any duty to maintain the Premises in any particular state, or condition, except as provided for in this agreement.

12. At the time of this conveyance, Grantor has (...) existing single family residential building(s) on the Premises and (...) residential buildings used for agricultural labor purposes. Grantor may use, maintain, and improve existing buildings on the Premises for agricultural, residential and recreational uses subject to the following conditions:

i. Improvements to agricultural buildings shall be consistent with agricultural uses;

ii. Improvements to residential buildings shall be consistent with agricultural or single and extended family residential uses. Improvements to residential buildings for the purpose of housing agricultural labor are permitted only if the housed agricultural labor is employed on the Premises; and

iii. Improvements to recreational buildings shall be consistent with agricultural or recreational uses.

13. Grantor may construct any new buildings for agricultural purposes. The construction of any new building which shall serve as a residential use, regardless of its purpose, shall be prohibited except as follows:

i. To provide structures for housing of agricultural labor employed on the Premises;

ii. To construct one new permanent single family residential unit only if the Premises does not contain at least one permanent residential building; and

iii. To construct a single family residential building anywhere on the Premises in order to replace any existing single family residential unit.

iv. The above exceptions shall not be permitted unless jointly approved in writing by the Grantee and the Committee. Approval for such exceptions shall only be granted upon the determination that the proposed construction would have a positive impact on the continued use of the Premises for agricultural production. If Grantee and the Committee grant approval for the construction of agricultural labor housing, such housing shall not be used as a residence for Grantor, Grantor's spouse, Grantor's parents, Grantor's lineal descendants adopted or natural, Grantor's spouse's parents, Grantor's spouse's lineal descendants, adopted or natural.

14. Nothing in this agreement shall be deemed to restrict the right of Grantor, to maintain all roads and trails existing upon the Premises as of the date of this agreement. Grantor shall be permitted to construct, improve or reconstruct any roadway necessary to service crops, bogs, buildings, or reservoirs as may be necessary.

15. In the event of any violation of the terms and conditions of this agreement, Grantee or the Committee may institute, in the name of the State of New Jersey, any proceedings to enforce these terms and conditions including the institution of suit to enjoin such violations and to require the restoration of the Premises to its prior condition. Grantee or the Committee do not waive or forfeit the right to take any other legal action necessary to insure compliance with the terms, conditions, and purposes of this agreement by a prior failure to act.

16. It is understood that this agreement imposes no obligation or restriction on the Grantor's use of the Premises except as specifically set forth in this agreement.

17. Grantor, Grantor's heirs, executors, administrators, personal or legal representatives, successors and assigns grants the Committee the first right and option to purchase the Premises in fee simple absolute in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:1C-1 et seq., as amended by P.L. 1989, c.28 and P.L. 1989, c.310. Grantor, Grantor's heirs, executors, administrators, personal or legal representatives, successors and assigns, agree to give the Committee written notice, by certified mail, that a contract of sale has been executed for the property. The notice shall set forth the terms and conditions of the executed contract of sale and shall have attached a copy of that contract. The notice of executed contract of sale shall also include any other information required by the Committee by regulation. The Committee may exercise its first right and option to purchase the Premises in fee simple absolute by complying with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:1C-1 et seq., as amended by P.L. 1989, c.28 and P.L. 1989, c.310.

18. This agreement shall be binding upon the Grantor and upon the Grantee.

19. Throughout this agreement, the singular shall include the plural, and the masculine shall include the feminine, unless the text indicates otherwise.

20. The word 'Grantor' shall mean any and all persons who lawfully succeed to the rights and responsibilities of the Grantor, including but not limited to his heirs, executors, administrators, personal or legal representatives, successors and assigns.

21. Wherever in this agreement any party shall be designated or referred to by name or general reference, such designation shall have the same effect as if the words 'heirs, executors, administrators, personal or legal representatives, successors and assigns' have been inserted after each and every designation."

(b) The Committee or landowner may require more stringent deed restrictions consistent with the Agriculture Retention and Development Act, N.J.S.A. 4:1C-11 et seq., P.L. 1983, c.32.

(c) The deed restrictions contained in (a) above shall be liberally construed to effectuate the purpose and intent of the Farmland Preservation Bond Act, P.L. 1981, c.276, as amended by P.L. 1987, c.240, the Open Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989, P.L. 1989, c.183 and the Agriculture Retention and Development Act, N.J.S.A. 4:1C-11 et seq., P.L. 1983, c.32, as amended.

N.J. Admin. Code § 2:76-3.12

Amended by R.1984 d.596, effective 1/7/1985.
See: 16 New Jersey Register 2867(a), 17 New Jersey Register 63(a).
Section substantially amended.
Amended by R.1986 d.196, effective 6/2/1986.
See: 18 New Jersey Register 508(a), 18 New Jersey Register 1193(b).
Substantially amended.
Amended by R.1989 d.451, effective 8/21/1989.
See: 21 New Jersey Register 1183(a), 21 New Jersey Register 2472(c).
Amendment at new 15. to implement the right of first refusal as authorized by P.L. 1989, c.28.
Amended by R.1992 d.325, effective 8/17/1992.
See: 24 New Jersey Register 893(b), 245 New Jersey Register 2831(a).
Revised text.
Amended by R.1993 d.181, effective 5/3/1993.
See: 25 New Jersey Register 222(a), 25 New Jersey Register 1866(a).
Revised (a)13iv.
Amended by R.1996 d.36, effective 1/16/1996.
See: 27 New Jersey Register 8(a), 28 New Jersey Register 260(a).