Conservation Use Covenant/Easement???

Luv2Bowhnt

Senior Member
Do any of you land owners have your property enrolled in the Conservation Use Covenant. From my understanding, its a 10yr covenant that reduces your property taxes but the property cannot be developed while enrolled. My understanding is that the property can continue to be used for ag use or timber production. Those of you that know, is this correct?
 

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator
Staff member
That is correct. I have a tract in pines that is in it’s 3rd consecutive 10 year conservation covenant. There are restrictions so read the fine print. No development stuff like roads, cell towers, etc. allowed.
 
I dont believe you can run any form of business off of it while it is enrolled in the program. Correct me if I am wrong on that.
 

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator
Staff member
Please post up what you find out
 

jiminbogart

TCU Go Frawgs !
... its a 10yr covenant that reduces your property taxes but the property cannot be developed while enrolled. Those of you that know, is this correct?

The property can be developed but you will have to pay back taxes and a penalty based on how long the property was in the program.
 

Luv2Bowhnt

Senior Member
My reason for this post was that I received a letter from the tax assessor that started out with the sentence "You are hereby served notice that evidence has been presented to the Board of Assessors that you are in breach of the conservation use covenant". This concerned me because I knew we were in compliance and had not done anything to breach the convenant. We purchased the property in 2019 and at the time I notified the tax assessor that we wanted to keep the property in the CU covenant. I went to the tax office this morning and the assessor kinda laughed and said "yeah that's an attention getter, isn't it?". He said they do that in order to get people into the office when it is time to re-enroll the property. My understanding is that the covenant is for 10yrs. It can't be more than 2000 acres (I think). Within that 10yr period, the property cannot be developed (I think). Owners can build home(s) on the property for themselves without breaching covenant. As long as property is used for ag production/timber production then you are fine. That's a quick, 30,000 ft synopsis of it.
 

Luv2Bowhnt

Senior Member
The property can be developed but you will have to pay back taxes and a penalty based on how long the property was in the program.
That is correct. It can be developed but that is considered a breach of the covenant and you will be fines/penalties that would have to be paid.
 

deers2ward

Senior Member
Caution...A Conservation Easement is vastly different from Conservation Use Value Assessment. I highly doubt you are interested in a Conservation Easement.

If you are interested in lowering your annual county property taxes due to the fact that you are using your property to hunt or grow timber or other crops, and you do not have plans to subdivide it or develop it, then this (CUVA) is what you are looking for:

https://www.gfb.org/media-and-publications/georgia-neighbors.cms/post/27/8 Things To Know About CUVA
 

Mike 65

Senior Member
When I bought my land it was in a CUVA program, I had to sign a document at closing that it would remain in the program till the 10 years was up and if I breached the contract I was responsible for all penalties and fines. Of course I resigned as soon as the previous contract ended.
 

elfiii

Admin
Staff member
I'm about to finish up my second renewal on mine. Yes, you can run an agriculture related business on your property - i.e. row crops, timber, etc.
 

Robust Redhorse

Senior Member
I heard about a guy who got a letter of noncompliance by having a corn maze.


I think the spirit of the the law is to leave the land undeveloped. If the corn maze thing was true, I think the farmer got a raw deal.
 
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