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4 <br /> 1 <br /> AP ROVED 8/23/94 <br /> MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS <br /> AUGUST 10, 1994 <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday, August <br /> 10, 1994 at 7:30 p.m. in the new County Courthouse, Superior <br /> Courtroom, Hillsborough, North Carolina for the purpose of holding a <br /> public hearing on a proposed Purchase of Development Rights program. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr. , and <br /> Commissioners Alice M. Gordon, Verla C. Insko and Don Willhoit. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Stephen H. Halkiotis, <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT:, County Manager John M. Link, Jr. , Planning <br /> Director Marvin Collins and Deputy Clerk to the Board Kathy Baker. <br /> COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br /> Chair Carey convened the meeting at 7:40 p.m. He indicated that <br /> Marvin Collins would present a report on the concept of purchasing <br /> agricultural land for preservation purposes and using a bond issue to <br /> achieve that purpose. The recommendation of the Agricultural <br /> Districts Advisory Committee will also be presented. He stated that <br /> the newspaper reported that the County Commissioners had already <br /> decided not to use ad valorem property tax revenue to finance the <br /> payment and amortization of the bond issue. That has not been <br /> decided. The Board decided to hear from the public before voting to <br /> finance the amortization of the debt for a bond issue with ad valorem <br /> tax money. <br /> Marvin Collins stated that this program is for the purpose of <br /> farmland preservation. He indicated that he would discuss three <br /> aspects of the Purchase of Development Rights Program (PDR) proposal. <br /> Those aspects are 1) the history, defining what PDR is and is not, 2) <br /> what the Land Evaluation Site Assessment (LESA) System is and how it <br /> relates to the purchase program and 3) the means of financing the <br /> program. The impetus for this program started in the late 1970's <br /> with the creation by the Board of Commissioners of the Agricultural <br /> Districts Advisory Board. The Advisory Board developed a series of <br /> recommendations. The Purchase of Development Rights was considered an <br /> option, however, at that time it was not one of the recommendations of <br /> the Advisory Board. There was a specific proposal which required the <br /> drafting of enabling legislation for the County to have a farmland <br /> preservation program. The program that was proposed was similar to <br /> the Use Value Taxation Program which is in effect now. That program <br /> is authorized by the State and applies to all North Carolina counties. <br /> Because of the enabling act regarding Use Value Taxation, Orange <br /> County did not pursue its program. In lieu of that the General <br /> Assembly did create a Voluntary Agricultural Districts Program and <br /> authorized any county in the state to adopt and carry out a program of <br /> strictly voluntary districts. Orange County adopted an Ordinance <br /> several years later and has a Voluntary Districts Program in effect at <br /> this time. There have been 1,800 acres certified as qualifying <br />