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. 

 ROCK COUNTY PACE PROGRAM FACT SHEETS

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

 ROCK COUNTY PACE PROGRAM MANUAL

• Program Manual
• Target Acquisition Areas Map

 ROCK COUNTY PACE PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCESS    

We are accepting applications for the 2013 program year through July 31, 2013. If you are interested in applying to the Program, please contact the Land Conservation Department.  

For further information on the Rock County PACE Program, please contact the Land Conservation Department at 608-754-6617 ext 3.