PRINCESS ANNE — Thirteen properties totaling over 1650 acres will come before the Somerset County County Commissioners Aug. 30 for a recommendation on whether or not they endorse their development rights be purchased and retired by the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.

MALPF is a voluntary program for property owners in conjunction with government to protect prime agricultural and woodlands from residential or commercial development.

Of the 13 applicants for fiscal year 2023 ten are repeats from prior years. The new ones are 198.75 acres on Old Princess Anne Road owned by the Gerard and Donna Dumsha; 176.35 acres on Perryhawkin Road owned by William Webster; and 38.38 acres on Harry Burton Road owned by Rob and Jeff Windsor.

Returning to the recommended list are 348.5 acres on Lovers Lane owned by Gary Breeding; 188.969 acres on Anderson Road owned by the Hyrock Duck Club; 141.459 acres on Black Road owned by J&J Ag; 115.84 acres on Charles Cannon Road owned by Rob and Jeff Windsor; 115.54 on Rehobeth Road owned by Natalie Overholt; 79.5 acres on River Road owned by Wilson Davis; 76.09 acres on Mt. Vernon Road owned by Brian Laird; 72.32 acres on Revell’s Neck Road owned by Keith, Kevin and Philip Widdowson; 58.01 acres on Eby Road owned by J&J Ag; and 56.5 acres on Millard Long Road owned by Tawes, Nelson and Reynolds.

The Somerset County Planning and Zoning Commission at its Aug. 4 meeting voted to forward the list to the elected leaders leaving it unchanged from the recommendations by the local Agricultural Land Preservation Board.

Abstaining was Matt Webster, who said he farms one of the properties.

The public hearing will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30 in the county office meeting room.

In May of this year, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved a MALPF easement purchase from KPK Family Farms LLC for 136.8 acres from Black Road to Big Monie Creek. It’s value after two appraisals was set at $666,750.