The bill amends Section 42-82-16 of the General Laws under the Farmland Preservation Act to prohibit cities, towns, quasi-municipal corporations, or public corporations from assessing owners of agricultural operations or agricultural land for the extension of water utilities past their properties. This prohibition applies to agricultural operations defined in 2-23-4 and agricultural land defined in 42-82-2(1) that are in existence as of July 1, 2025, and have frontage on a public roadway. The bill specifies that assessments for the extension of water utilities include any impact fee, connection fee, or any other fee designed to circumvent this prohibition, except for base usable charges.

Additionally, the bill states that the owner of an agricultural operation may only be charged for the extension of sewer utilities if they have requested the utility extension. The agricultural operation may tie into any sewer utility extension made past their property at the normal cost of tie-in, and there will be no cost for infrastructure improvements except for the base usable charge.

The protections against utility assessments will be null and void if the owner of the agricultural operation develops or sells the property or farmland to a non-qualifying agricultural operation within twenty years of the date the utility extensions become operational. The act is designed to safeguard existing agricultural operations from unexpected financial burdens related to utility extensions, and it will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5968: 42-82-16