Hanover County landowners who use their property for agricultural, horticultural or forestal uses or keep it in open space are invited to enroll in the Land Use Taxation Program. Under this program, qualified landowners can have their property assessed at “use value”, which may be lower than market value and reduce their taxes.

The application period for this program ends February 1, 2012.

In order to qualify for the tax deduction, the property must be zoned for agricultural uses and have been in agricultural, horticultural, forest or open space uses for at least five years. Property that has been zoned Rural Conservation (RC) also can qualify for the Land Use program.

The minimum qualifying acreages are five acres for agricultural, horticultural and open space and 20 acres for forest use. A one-acre house site is allowed in all categories.