Town and city boundaries in Columbia County, NY, derived from tax parcel data provided by Columbia County Real Property Tax Service. This dataset more accurately depicts the municipal boundaries than the NYS Civil Boundaries data set maintained by the NYS GIS Program Office. The most recent update is based on the 2021 tax parcels.

Columbia County Boundary derived from tax parcel data provided by Columbia County Real Property Tax Service. This dataset more accurately depicts the county boundary than the NYS Civil Boundaries data set maintained by the NYS GIS Program Office. The most recent update is based on the 2021 tax parcels.

Village boundaries in Columbia County, NY, derived from tax parcel data. More accurate than the county boundary included in the NYS Civil Boundaries data set maintained by the NYS GIS Program Office. The most recent update is based on the 2021 tax parcels.

Priority agricultural lands from a Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) process adapted for Columbia County by the County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board (AFPB)and mapped by Don Meltz Planning and GIS. The original LESA process was created by Natural Resources Conservation Service. Assessment criteria include soil type, commitment to farming, long-term viability, development pressure, and open space (including scenic, historic, and natural resource) value.As a component of the 2013 Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan (AFPP), the AFPB developed a working LESA model that can be used by the County in conjunction with local decision-making boards to identify agricultural lands eligible for one or more conservation tools, strategies or resources. Many of the county's municipalities, through the comprehensive planning process, have already designating areas suitable for growth and for conservation, as well as for agriculture. The LESA system can help the County and municipalities work together to prioritize those lands and protect from conversion, especially where resources and benefits are limited.The LESA Map can serve several purposes. For example, farmland preservation projects seeking State funding (if and when funding becomes available) can use the map for justification purposes and potential additional “scoring” points if the project is identified on the map. Columbia County municipalities are encouraged to use the data in their land use planning activities such as Comprehensive Plan updates, zoning changes, and their own farmland protection plans.As the County proceeds to implement the Plan, the LESA model should be tested with respect to the programs or tools with which it will be used. The criteria and scoring system can then be modified if necessary. Score thresholds that define the final ranges and priority levels need to be determined in order to interpret the raw LESA score and apply it in decision-making about eligibility for programs or benefits.See the Columbia County AFPP, chapter 4 and appendix F for more information on this dataset, how it was developed and its usefulness for planing purposes.