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VOTE: UNANIMOUS d. Resolution of Approval -Agricultural and Watershed Protection Conservation Easement for John and Carolyn Lloyd The Board considered a resolution to approve the acceptance of an agricultural and watershed protection conservation easement from John and Carolyn Lloyd, the conservation easement to be held jointly by Orange County and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) and authorizing the Chair to sign. Rich Shaw said that this farm is located at the intersection of Teer Road and Bradshaw Quarry Road, just west of the Cane Creek Reservoir. Tom's Creek runs along the boundary of this property on its way to Apple Pond. The Lloyd's purchased this farm in 1957 and raise beef cattle on the farm. They also raise hay. They intend to sell the cattle and convert the farm to a timber management operation. OWASA agreed to participate in this because they feel this change in use will be an improvement to the water quality flowing into the reservoir. He showed a diagram of the easement area. The easement will allow farming practices to occur outside of a 300-foot buffer from Tom's Creek and other streams on the property. The Lloyd's would like to reserve the right for two future two-acre home sites, the locations of which have not been determined, but will be required to be approved by Orange County and OWASA before they are identified. They would not be included in the purchase price of the conservation easement. The total size of the easement is 118 acres of the 123 acres that is owned there. A survey will be conducted to determine the exact acreage. The cost of the easement purchase, again to be split equally by Orange County and OWASA, is negotiated at $3,500 per acre, or $413,000. The total of Orange County's share is expected to be $215,000. Commissioner Gordon asked why the $215,000 is not coming from alternative financing for conservation easements like the other one. Dave Stancil said that the existing funding for conservation easements would be exhausted by this time. This was mentioned at the previous Lands Legacy work session. The existing easements would be exhausted and a small portion - $25,000 -would need to be allocated from the Opportunities Fund, which is the other potential funding source. Commissioner Gordon asked if they intended to pay back the Opportunities Fund. David Stancil said that it would be up to the Board to decide. Commissioner Gordon would like for it to be paid back. She asked what the Board thought. Chair Jacobs said that they do not need to decide this now. Commissioner Gordon asked to make a note to bring this up later. Commissioner Gordon made reference to page 19, the forest management, and that the staff has listed 300-foot stream buffers. She said that the intent is to have timber management on this property. She would like to flag this about the forest management. Commissioner Gordon made reference to pages 24-25 and said that there are blanks. Rich Shaw said that the reason it is not filled in is because the market value has not been set in stone yet. They are waiting for the appraisal. Geof Gledhill said that the Board's approval will allow them to fill in the blanks when the appraisal is done. The intent is that if there is any condemnation in the future that Orange County and OWASA will get back their share of the value of the property. Commissioner Halkiotis said that his concern is that they are going to be giving up cattle for tree farming and he said that that these are different type of farms. He asked who would be policing this easement. There have been a lot of complaints with people cutting trees and coming across property lines to cut large trees.