S Grant -Application to NC Agr Dev & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund -Breeze Farm

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XV. SCOPE OF WORK Applicant Name: orange Count Applicant Tax Identification Number: 56- 6000327 Project Title: Breeze Farm Conservation Easement Phase II A. What is the purpose of the project? Orange County is working with retired colonel William Breeze Sr. to protect his historic farm (295 acres) with perpetual conservation easements in two phases. Phase I was completed in April 2008 when the County acquired an easement on 141 acres with matching funds from the USDA Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP) and a partial easement donation by the landowner. Phase II of the project would be a perpetual conservation easement on the 153 -acre eastern half of the farm (Figure 5). Orange County requests $290,000 from the ADFP Trust Fund to purchase the easement. The County would provide $189,000 in matching funds and Colonel Breeze intends to donate 20 percent of the easement value ($118,000) as determined by a certified appraisal. The deed of conservation easement for Phase II would have similar terms as the Phase I easement agreement (subject to ADFP Trust Fund approval). It would allow one future residence and new farm structures located in a designated "farmstead envelope." Forest management would also be allowed to help derive future income for the property. B. What community need(s) will the project serve? The conservation easement would help guarantee that this prime farmland will remain available for agricultural use in the future, which is especially important in the Triangle Region where farmland is being converted to other uses, yet there is an ever growing demand for local food products. Protected farmland provides the community with more certainty, which stimulates investment in local farm infrastructure. This project would contribute to larger public - private partnership resulting in 564 contiguous acres of protected prime farmland in an area with good access to markets and with opportunities to further agricultural research and education. The planned 153 -acre easement is adjacent to 141 acres of the Breeze farm that was protected with an Orange County conservation easement in April 2008. The project is also 0.6 miles from the State -owned W.C. Breeze Family Farm Agricultural Extension & Research Facility -- a 269 -acre farm managed by NC State University (Figure 2). Colonel Breeze and his late wife Elizabeth donated the majority of that property to the University in 2003. The NC State facility includes a "new farm enterprise incubator" managed by NC Cooperative Extension. The conservation easement will also help to protect an historic farmstead complex located on the Breeze Farm. The farm is recognized by the NC Department of Cultural Resources as the proposed Ray - Kenion National Historic District (National Historic Register Study List). Finally, the protection of this farmland will contribute to the rural character along this highly scenic section of Schley Road in northern Orange County (Little River Township). C. Are other organizations, programs, projects, etc. serving this community need or these community needs? If yes, how is this project different/why is this project necessary? Orange County intends to acquire the conservation easement through its Lands Legacy program. Since Lands Legacy was established in 2000 the County has acquired 13 agricultural conservation easements that protect 1,277 acres of farmland. In all cases matching funds were contributed by outside sources, including the NC Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (2001). The completion of this project is particularly important because of the high regard that Orange County citizens have for Colonel William Breeze. His land conservation and stewardship efforts have been recognized widely in the agricultural community, and his placing a conservation easement on this farm will certainly influence others in the community to consider doing the same thing. Page 12 of 17 Easement Application