(a) In order to be considered eligible for inclusion in an Agricultural Preservation District, an application which qualifies under the requirements of § 907(a) or (d) of this title shall satisfy the following criteria: (1) The owner or owners seeking inclusion of real property in the District shall hold fee simple title to such property; (2) The real property proposed for inclusion in the District shall have an agricultural zoning designation and shall not be subject to any major subdivision plan; (3) The real property shall consist of viable and productive farmlands and/or forestlands which meet the minimum LESA scoring requirements for eligibility established by the Foundation through adopted regulations; (4) The owner or owners of the real property proposed for inclusion in the District execute a declaration in recordable form committing to the District restrictions set forth in § 909 of this title; and (5) The real property proposed for inclusion in the District shall include all of the eligible real property located in the tax parcel or tax parcels subject to application, and no eligible real property shall be carved out or otherwise excluded from the application for establishment of an Agricultural Preservation District or the application to sell a preservation easement pursuant to subchapter III of this chapter. (b) In reviewing applications for establishment of an Agricultural Preservation District the Foundation, the Board and the Planning and Zoning Commission shall consider the following factors: (1) The viability and productivity of the farmlands and/or forestlands based on the LESA scoring system; (2) The extent to which the farmlands and/or forestlands are being actively utilized for agricultural purposes; (3) The extent to which the long-term preservation of the farmlands and/or forestlands would be consistent with land use plans adopted after public hearing at state and county levels; (4) The potential for expansion of the District if established and compatibility with surrounding land uses; (5) The ancillary benefit of creating additional open space adjacent to existing established and protected open space; (6) The potential for acquisition of agricultural preservation easements under rating or ranking systems that may be adopted through regulations of the Foundation; (7) The socio-economic benefits derived from an agricultural and historic perspective as a result of inclusion of the farmlands and/ or forestlands in an Agricultural Preservation District; and (8) Consistency with the statewide agricultural lands preservation strategy adopted pursuant to § 904(a)(3) of this title.
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