Schedule; investigation

1. Schedule. The owner or owners of farmland subject to taxation under this subchapter shall submit a signed schedule, on or before April 1st of the year in which the owner or owners wish to first subject the land to taxation under this subchapter, to the assessor upon a form prescribed by the State Tax Assessor identifying the land to be taxed under this subchapter, indicating the number of acres of each farmland classification, showing the location of the land in each classification and representing that the land is farmland as defined in section 1102, subsection 4 . In determining whether the land is farmland, the assessor shall take into account, among other things, the acreage of the land, the portion of the land that is actually used for farming or agricultural operations, the productivity of the land, the gross income derived from farming or agricultural operations on the land, the nature and value of the equipment used in connection with farming or agricultural operations on the land and the extent to which the tracts comprising the land are contiguous. If the assessor determines that the land is farmland as defined in section 1102, subsection 4 , the assessor shall classify it as farmland and apply the appropriate 100% valuations per acre for farmland and that land is subject to taxation under this subchapter. 2. Provisional classification. The owner of a parcel of land of at least 5 contiguous acres on which farming or agricultural activities have not produced the gross income required in section 1102, subsection 4 per year for one of the 2 or 3 of the 5 preceding calendar years, may apply for a 2-year provisional classification as farmland by submitting a signed schedule in duplicate, on or before April 1st of the year for which provisional classification is requested, identifying the land to be taxed under this subsection, listing the number of acres of each farmland classification, showing the location of the land in each classification and representing that the applicant intends to conduct farming or agricultural activities upon that parcel. Upon receipt of the schedule, the land must be provisionally classified as farmland and subjected to taxation under this subchapter. If, at the end of the 2-year period, the land does not qualify as farmland under section 1102, subsection 4, the owner shall pay a penalty that is an amount equal to the taxes that would have been assessed had the property been assessed at its fair market value on the first day of April for the 2 preceding tax years less the taxes paid on the property over the 2 preceding years and interest at the legal rate from the dates on which those amounts would have been payable. 3. Open space land qualification. The owner or owners of land who believe that land is open space land as defined in section 1102, subsection 6 shall submit a signed schedule on or before April 1st of the year in which that land first becomes subject to taxation under this subchapter to the assessor on a form prescribed by the State Tax Assessor that must contain a description of the land, a general description of the use to which the land is being put and other information required by the assessor to aid the assessor in determining whether the land qualifies for classification as open space land and for which of the valuation categories set forth in section 1106-A the land is eligible. The assessor shall determine whether the land is open space land as defined in section 1102, subsection 6 and, if so, that land must be classified as open space land and subject to taxation under this subchapter. In determining whether the restriction of the use or preservation of the land provides a public benefit in one of the areas set forth in section 1102, subsection 6, the assessor shall consider all facts and circumstances pertinent to the land and its vicinity. A factor that is pertinent to one application may be irrelevant in determining the public benefit of another application. A single factor, whether listed below or not, may be determinative of public benefit. Among the factors to be considered are: 4. Investigation. The assessor shall notify the landowner, on or before June 1st following receipt of a signed schedule meeting the requirements of this section, whether the application has been accepted or denied. If the application is denied, the assessor shall state the reasons for the denial and provide the landowner an opportunity to amend the schedule to conform to the requirements of this subchapter. 5. Owner obligation. It is the obligation of the owner to report to the assessor any change of use or change of classification of land subject to taxation under this subchapter by the end of the tax year in which the change occurs and to report to the assessor on or before April 1st of every 5th year the gross income realized in each of the previous 5 years from acreage classified as farmland. 6. Recertification. The assessor shall determine annually whether any classified land continues to meet the requirements of this subchapter. Each year the assessor shall recertify any classifications made under this subchapter. If any classified land no longer meets the requirements of this subchapter, the assessor shall either remove the classification or, if the assessor considers it appropriate, allow the land to have a provisional classification as detailed in subsection 2 . 7. Transition.