The Rock County Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements (PACE) Program protects and preserves productive agricultural lands in unincorporated areas of the County by working with willing, eligible agricultural landowners to limit potential future uses of their land. The Program promotes and encourages a strong agricultural economy and community identity, intergovernmental cooperation, and a regional land use vision throughout the County. All aspects of Program development and implementation are identified in the Rock County PACE Program Manual. 

The Program acquires an agricultural land parcel's "development rights" (through an agricultural conservation easement) from willing, eligible landowners. The landowner retains ownership of the parcel, but its future use is bound to the easement terms. The easement terms state the County will hold the parcel's "development rights" into perpetuity, with the parcel to be utilized for agriculture and not developed. 

**IMPORTANT NEWS:  The Rock County PACE Program is holding a series of summer workshops to inform landowners of the benefits of the Program.  Please see the following link for a workshop schedule:

• Summer 2011 Workshop Schedule - Target Acquisition Area Landowners

 ROCK COUNTY PACE PROGRAM FACT SHEETS

• General 
• Eligibility Criteria 
• Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) System
• Target Acquisition Areas

 ROCK COUNTY PACE PROGRAM MANUAL (Adopted: January 13, 2011)

• Program Manual
• Target Acquisition Areas Map

 ROCK COUNTY PACE PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCESS    

    **IMPORTANT NEWS:  The Rock County PACE Program 2012 application cycle  is open July 1, 2011 and through October 31, 2011.  If you are interested in applying to the Program, please review the Application Information and complete an Application below (Application can be completed online). 

For further information on the Rock County PACE Program, please contact Wade Thompson, Rock County PACE Program Manager, at (608) 757-5582.