HB 473 Summary

• Creates the Agricultural Protection Area Act establishing a voluntary program allowing landowners with 5+ acres in active agricultural or forest production for 3+ years to designate their land as protected agricultural areas for a minimum of 20 years.

• Requires county and municipal governing bodies to establish Agricultural Protection Area Commissions by January 1, 2025, composed of 3-5 members actively involved in production agriculture, to review and recommend on landowner proposals within 60 days.

• Prohibits governing bodies from using agricultural protection area designations as a basis for land use decisions on non-designated parcels, and establishes automatic 20-year renewals unless landowners request termination with 90 days' notice.

• Restricts local regulations within protected areas by preventing changes to agricultural zoning without landowner permission and providing nuisance action defenses for lawful agricultural activities conducted using generally recognized farming practices.

• Prohibits political subdivisions from using eminent domain to condemn land within agricultural protection areas used for agricultural production, except as allowed by the Idaho Constitution.