Living in the

Country

Provided to you by

Greene County Soil and Water

Conservation District

688 South State Hwy. B

Springfield, MO 65802

417-831-5246

During the last few decades, more and more "city" people have migrated into or near rural areas to seek out a peaceful place in the country. The pastoral landscape and pace of life attracts urban people to the country, where land is in active agricultural production. As a result, many new residents lack an understanding of, and in some cases are unsympathetic to, agricultural practices.

It is important for you to know that life in the country is different from life in the city. County governments are not able to provide the same level of service that city governments provide. To that end, we are providing you with the following information to help you make an educated and informed decision to purchase rural land or rent a rural residence.

The fact that you can drive to your property does not necessarily guarantee that you, your guests and emergency service vehicles can achieve that same level of access at all times. Please consider:

1 - Emergency response times (Sheriff, fire suppression, medical care, etc.) cannot be guaranteed. Under some extreme conditions, you may find that emergency response is extremely slow and expensive. You should check with your rural fire and emergency providers to be sure you area is serviced.

2 - There can be problems with the legal aspects of access, especially if you gain access across property belonging to others. It is wise to obtain legal advice and understand the easements that may be necessary when these types of questions arise.

3 – Before a new driveway can be constructed to a property, some counties require a permit issued from the county engineer’s office. There is no guarantee that a particular location will be approved for a driveway depending on sight distance and drainage characteristics.

4 - You can experience problems with the maintenance and cost of maintenance of your road. Many rural properties are served by private and public roads which are maintained by private road associations. There are even some county roads that are not maintained by the county - no grading or snow plowing. There are even some public roads that are not maintained by anyone! Make sure you know what type of maintenance to expect and who will provide that maintenance.

5 - Extreme weather conditions can destroy roads. It is wise to determine whether or not your road was properly engineered and constructed.

6 - Many large construction vehicles cannot navigate small, narrow roads. If you plan to build, it is prudent to check out construction access.

7 - School buses travel only on maintained county roads that have been designated as school bus routes by the school district. You may need to drive your children to the nearest county road so they can get to school.

8 - In extreme weather, even county maintained roads can become impassable. You may need a four wheel drive vehicle with chains for all four wheels to travel during those episodes, which could last for several days.

9 - Natural disasters, especially floods, can destroy roads. A dry creek bed can become a raging torrent and wash out roads, bridges, and culverts. Residents served by private roads and/or bridges have been hit with large bills for repairs and/or reconstruction after floods.

10 - If your road is unpaved, check carefully with the County Road and Bridge Department when any statement is made by the seller of any property that indicates any unpaved roads will be paved!

11 - Unpaved roads are not always smooth and are often slippery when they are wet. You will experience an increase in vehicle maintenance costs when you regularly travel on rural county roads.

12 - Newspaper delivery is similarly not always available to rural areas. Check with the newspaper of your choice before assuming you can get delivery.

13 - Standard parcel and overnight package delivery can be a problem for those who live in the country. Confirm with the service providers as to your status.

14 - It may be more expensive and time consuming to build a rural residence due to delivery fees and the time required for inspectors to reach your site.

Water, sewer, electric, telephone and other services may be unavailable or may not operate at urban standards. Repairs can often take much longer than in towns and cities. Please review your options from the non-exhaustive list below.

1 - Telephone communications can be a problem. If you have a private line, it may be difficult to obtain another line for fax or computer modem uses. Even cellular phones have limited range and can be particularly poor in rural areas.

2 - If sewer service is available to your property, it may be expensive to hook into the system. It also may be expensive to maintain the system you use.

3 - If sewer service is not available, you will need to use an approved septic system or other treatment process. The type of soil you have available for a leach field will be very important in determining the cost and function of your system. Have the system checked by a reliable sanitation firm and ask for assistance from the County Health Department. Do not forget that there are maintenance costs associated with on-site sewage systems. Just because you do not get a sewer bill, does not mean that your waste system will be free or less expensive.

4 – If your waste goes to a septic system you may want to consider having a home compost container. It is a good way to "recycle" kitchen and yard wastes into a rich and useful soil amendment. Septic systems were not meant to accommodate waste from a garbage disposal, and you will need to have your tank pumped much more frequently. Please remember that meat wastes should not be composted. For more information contact the University Extension Service.

5 - If you have access to a supply of treated domestic water, the tap fees can be expensive. You may also find that your monthly cost of service can be costly when compared to municipal systems.

6 - If you do not have access to a supply of treated domestic water, you will have to locate an alternative supply. The most common method is use of a water well and the cost for drilling and pumping can be considerable. The quality and quantity of well water can vary considerably from location to location and from season to season. It is strongly advised that you research this issue very carefully.

7 - Many rural properties have drinking water supplies dependent on private wells. In some situations the quantity of that supply is limited. The quality of water in all wells should be monitored regularly as there are any number of factors that can affect that quality, including natural mineralization, bacteria, radium, hazardous waste disposal and proximity to septic systems and livestock operations. Radon gas in well water can potentially increase the indoor air level of radon in a building.

8- Many older farmsteads may have a cistern or abandoned well, which the previous owner is obligated to disclose. These are safety issues, in term of physical danger and danger to ground water contamination. Many counties have Abandoned Well Closure programs. For information on how to abandon a well contact the Soil and Water Conservation District.

9 – If electric service has never been established at your location, a line may need to be built. It is important to determine the proximity of electrical power. It can be very expensive to extend power lines to remote areas.

10 - It may be necessary to cross property owned by others in order to extend electric service to your property in the most cost efficient manner. It is important to make sure that the proper easements are in place to allow lines to be built to your property.

11 - Electric power may not be available in two phase and three phase service configurations. If you have special power requirements, it is important to know what level of service can be provided to your property.

12 – Most rural areas do not have access to natural gas. Be prepared to consider alternative fuels, such as propane, wood pellets, wood or heat pumps. Electric furnaces may be expensive to operate in your area. You should plan on an auxiliary heating backup for those incidents of power outages.

13 - Power outages can occur in outlying areas with more frequency than in more developed areas. A loss of electric power can also interrupt your supply of water from a well. You may also lose food in freezers or refrigerators and power outages can cause problems with computers as well. It is important to be able to survive for up to a week with no utilities if you live in the country.

14 – It is illegal to create your own trash dump. Trash removal services in rural areas are generally more expensive and are typically provided by private haulers. There are usually no government sponsored "curbside" pick ups of trash and recyclables; these are limited to those rural areas where housing density makes such services practical. Because of problems associated with long driveways, snow, wind, an animals, many rural residesnts prefer to "self-haul" their trash and recyclables directly to a landfill or to an intermediate transfer station.

15 – Open burning is permitted for paper and wood waste only. This does not include asphalt shingles, tires, or any other unapproved waste. Open burning is permitted only when conditions are not too dry or windy. Check with your local fire department about local burning rules.

16 – Many products used in the home, garden, garage and hobby shop contain hazardous ingredients and need to be used and stored safely. Once you decide to discard these products, they become household hazardous wastes requiring proper disposal. Contact the University Extension for more information.

There are many issues that can affect your property. It is important to research these items before purchasing land.

1 - Not all lots are suitable for building. Soil types and underlying materials can affect your choice of building location. You may obtain a soil survey book from the USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, or you should check with the County Planning Department to get a list of soil scientist certified in the county.

2 - Easements may require you to allow construction of roads, power lines, water lines, sewer lines, etc. across your land. There may be easements that are not of record. Check these issues carefully.

3 - You may be provided with a plat of your property, but unless the land has been surveyed and pins placed by a licensed surveyor, you cannot assume that the plat is accurate.

4 - Fences that separate properties are often misaligned with the property lines. A survey of the land is the only way to confirm the location of your property lines.

5- Unless there has been a separate negotiated agreement, Missouri fence custom uses the right hand rule. When you face your fence line, you are responsible for the right hand half of the fence and you are required to keep it in repair if the adjoining landowner has livestock. Make sure you know what the fence requirements are or what agreement previous owners have made with your neighbors.

6 – Be sure to check with the county engineer before building a fence near a road so that it is not on the county right of way. You are not allowed to park vehicles or equipment in the ditch or along the road right-of-way.

7 - Many subdivisions and planned unit developments have covenants that limit the use of the property. It is important to obtain a copy of the covenants (or confirm that there are none) and make sure that you can live with those rules. Also, a lack of covenants can cause problems between neighbors.

8 - Homeowners associations (HOAs) are required to take care of common elements, roads, open space, etc. A dysfunctional homeowners association or poor covenants can cause problems for you and even involve you in expensive litigation.

9 - Dues are almost always a requirement for those areas with a HOA. The by-laws of the HOA will tell you how the organization operates and how the dues are set.

10 - The surrounding properties will probably not remain as they are indefinitely. You can check with the County Planning Department to see if the properties are zoned and to see what future developments may be in the planning stages. The view from your property may change.

11 – Unfortunately, illegal dumping of garbage, appliances, tires and other debris can be a problem in certain rural areas. If such dumping occurs, it may be quite a period of time before the road department can remove the material especially during the summer months.

12 – Landowners should try to utilize the "best management practices" as they relate to soil and water management. These practices could potentially reduce sedimentation, soil erosion, and increased nutrients in the watershed. Contact the county Soil and Water Conservation District for further information on techniques and methods associated with the "best management practices."

Residents of the country usually experience more problems when the elements turn unfriendly. Here are some thoughts for you to consider.

1 - The topography of the land can tell you where the water will go in the case of heavy precipitation. When property owners fill in ravines, they have found that the water that drained through that ravine now drains through their house.

2 - A flash flood can occur, especially during the summer months, and turn a dry gully into a river. It is wise to take this possibility into consideration when building.

3 - Nature can provide you with some wonderful neighbors. Most, such as deer and eagles are positive additions to the environment. However, even "harmless" animals like deer can cross the road unexpectedly and cause traffic accidents. Rural development encroaches on the traditional habitat of coyotes, rattlesnakes, bears, mosquitoes and other animals that can be dangerous and you need to know how to deal with them. In general, it is best to enjoy wildlife from a distance and know that if you do not handle your pets and trash properly, it could cause problems for you and the wildlife. Wildlife can carry disease, so have your pets vaccinated regularly. If you attract wild animals with a salt block or food, your tomatoes, beans and flowers may also be on their menu. The Missouri Department of Conservation is a good resource for information. They have many free publications to help educate you about living in the wild.

Part of the fun of living on an acreage is the chance to have your own livestock. However, if your animals get out and get hit by a vehicle or get into your neighbor’s crops, you are liable for the damages, just as your neighbors are liable for their animals and any damage they cause.

1 - Farmers often work around the clock, especially during planting and harvest time. Dairy operators sometimes milk without stopping and hay is often swathed or baled at night. It is possible that adjoining agriculture uses can disturb your peace and quiet.

2 - Land preparation and other operations can cause dust, especially during windy and dry weather.

3 – Landowners occasionally burn their fields to manage brush and stimulate grasses. This burning creates smoke that you may find objectionable.

4 - Chemicals (mainly fertilizers and herbicides) are often used in growing crops. You may be sensitive to these substances and many people actually have severe allergic reactions.

5 - Animals and their manure can cause objectionable odors. What else can we say? Be sure to check the area around you. Animals don’t have to live next door to cause odor problems. Some livestock may also make more noise than you are accustomed to.

6 - Agriculture is an important business in the County. If you choose to live among the farms and ranches of our rural countryside, do not expect county government to intervene in the normal day-to-day operations of your agri-business neighbors. In fact, Missouri has "Right to Farm" legislation that protects farmers and ranchers from nuisance and liability lawsuits. It enables them to continue producing food and fiber.

7 - Before buying land you should know if it has noxious weeds that may be expensive to control and you may be required to control. Some plants are poisonous to horses and other livestock.

8 - Animals can be dangerous. Bulls, stallions, rams, boars, and other livestock can attack human beings. Children need to know that it is not safe to enter pens where animals are kept.

9 – Farm equipment traveling down a road is slow moving and often covers a large portion of the roadway. Other drivers need to be aware of the slow moving equipment. Be aware of equipment when on the road as some tractors are not equipped with turn signals and can suddenly turn into a field driveway or farm lane.

10 – Household pets can become predators if allowed to run free. If your dog’s roam into neighboring property, they may be dealt with as predators, and you may not be pleased with the result. Domesticated dogs, especially when in group or pack, can be very dangerous to livestock and wildlife. Plan for control of your pets in the country as residents in urban areas do.

11 – There is a limit to the amount of grazing the land can handle. For more information about conservation of land, water, and other natural resources, contact the county Soul and Water Conservation District or the USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service.

1 – Guns. Many people own guns – for hunting, for the protection of livestock, or for protecting one’s family. If you are interested in shooting, get involved with a local range or gun club. Do not buy a gun and start practicing at home. Bullets travel great distances – often as far as the neighbor’s property. Never allow children unsupervised access to guns.

2 – Trespassing. Unfenced land is still private land. Always respect private property, including pastures, crop lands, open fields and wooded areas. Ask the owner’s permission first if you want to use their property. Offering to pick up trash or mend a broken fence may make you a welcome return visitor.

3 – Outdoor Lighting. People who live away from the city appreciate dark nights. "Decorative" outdoor lighting is inconsiderate and wasteful. Nobody wants a light shining toward their home from a nearby property. Keep outdoor lighting to a minimum, use only fully shielded fixtures, and turn them off when you are not using them…Enjoy the crisp, star-filled skies and moonlight!

Even though you pay property taxes to the county, the amount of tax collected does not cover the cost of the services provided to rural residents. In general, those living in the cities subsidize the lifestyle of those who live in the country by making up the shortfall between the cost of services and the revenues received from rural dwellers.

This information is by no means exhaustive. There are other issues that you may encounter that we have overlooked and we encourage you to be vigilant in your duties to explore and examine those things that could cause your move to be less than you expect.

We have offered these comments in the sincere hope that it can help you enjoy your decision to reside in the country. It is not our intent to dissuade you, only inform you.