Minutes - 20041005 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Rich Shaw, Land Conservation Manager, said that both of these projects on the agenda tonight are joint projects with Orange County and OWASA. Both are called Agricultural and Water Conservation Easements because they are intended to protect prime farmland in the County and public water supply watersheds, mainly the Cane Creek Protected Watershed. Both farms are in the Cane Creek Watershed in the southwest portion of Bingham Township and both have Tom's Creek running through them on its way to Cane Creek. Tom's Creek begins on McPherson Farm. He said that OWASA has acquired a lot of land in this watershed, and more recently they have been acquiring conservation easements. This is the first collaboration with Orange County and OWASA. The McPherson Farm is on the east side of Mebane-Oaks Road. The farm is 47 acres in size. It is an active farm and they raise beef cattle, corn, and other row crops. The easement will protect the entire 47-acre farm. The McPherson's will retain the right to farm, but with restrictions along Tom's Creek. No future house sites or subdivision of this property would occur. The cattle would be excluded from the Tom's Creek corridor except for one crossing. The cost of the easement purchase, to be split evenly by Orange County and OWASA is $125,000 or approximately $2,600 per acre. The total cost to Orange County is estimated to be $68,000. Commissioner Brown asked about the 100-foot strip and how it was decided. Rich Shaw said that they tried to get a wide buffer. OWASA's main interest is keeping things out of the corridor and they will be using funds from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund to help in this regard. The State would like to get as much as 300-foot buffers, but it was not feasible in this case. It would take a lot more of the land out of production than the McPherson's were willing to give up. Commissioner Gordon made reference to page 18 about forest management. She is bringing this up for future reference. She said that as they think about other conservation easements, she thinks they should think about to what extent these forest management practices should be allowed in order for a farm to be viable. She thinks they should look at what to allow in terms of priorities for forest management activities. She echoed Commissioner Brown's concerns about the potential fora 300-foot buffer. She asked that this be put on the list for review about what conservation easements should say regarding buffers and timber management. Commissioner Carey asked if the areas in livestock would be fenced and Rich Shaw said yes, with one allowable crossing. Commissioner Brown asked about who would be the enforcement agency and Rich Shaw said that ERCD would once a year have a visit to the property and be on call. This is spelled out in the easement agreement. Geof Gledhill said that OWASA also has the ability to monitor this easement and that is one of the features of this type of easement. There will be two governments receiving the conservation easement and each will be monitoring it. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he thinks this is wonderful. He said that in other counties the cattle live in the streams and creeks. Commissioner Carey read the resolution. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to adopt the resolution as stated below to approve the purchase of and acceptance by Orange County of an agricultural and watershed protection conservation easement from William McPherson, Jr. and his son William McPherson III, the conservation easement to be held jointly by Orange County and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) and authorize the Chair to sign.