Chapter 40L

Section 1. Definitions.—as used in this chapter the following words shall, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, have the following meaning:— ''Agricultural land'', land suitable for agricultural or horticultural use, including land rated by the United States Department…

Section 10. The provisions of this chapter shall apply in a city after acceptance by a majority vote of the city council with the approval of the mayor, in the case of a city with a Plan A, Plan B or Plan F charter; by a majority vote of the city council, in the case of a city wi…

Section 2. The board of selectmen in a town or the mayor of a city with approval of the city council may establish an agricultural incentive area committee for the purpose of investigating, delineating, and establishing an agricultural incentive area in the municipality, hereinaf…

Section 3. The committee shall locate and map all land in agricultural or horticultural use within the town or city showing such soil classification information as is available from the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. Such map or maps shall indi…

Section 4. Upon completion of the requirements of section three, the committee shall formulate its recommendations for the formation of an agricultural incentive area within the town or city. Such areas shall be composed principally of agricultural land, land in agricultural or h…

Section 5. Land within an agricultural incentive area shall not be sold for or converted to residential, industrial or commercial use or removed from the area unless the city or town in which such land is located and the department of food and agriculture on behalf of the state h…

Section 6. Land in an agricultural incentive area, determined by the local assessor to be actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural, or agricultural and horticultural use as defined in sections one to five, inclusive, of chapter sixty-one A, shall be assessed for general pr…

Section 7. Land in an agricultural incentive area, determined by the local assessor to be actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural, or agricultural and horticultural use as defined in sections one to five, inclusive, of chapter sixty-one A and which is subject to special a…

Section 8. Land in an agricultural incentive area shall receive priority for a determination of eligibility for the purchase of agricultural preservation restrictions by the commonwealth pursuant to the program established by section eleven A to eleven D, inclusive, of chapter on…

Section 9. The commissioner of the department of food and agriculture is hereby empowered to promulgate such rules and regulations and to prescribe such forms as he shall deem necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.