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3 <br /> ordinance in Union County. The LESA system consists of three issues. <br /> The first of these is agricultural significance which looks at a farm <br /> and studies the productivity of the soil for crop and forest purposes. <br /> It has a number of site assessment factors that look at farm <br /> characteristics. The area surrounding the farm is also taken into <br /> account. The total number of points that could be awarded a farm <br /> under the agricultural portion is 300. The second issue that is <br /> weighed is natural/cultural significance of the farm. The presence of <br /> natural areas, wildlife corridors, scenic viewsheds and roads, <br /> wetlands and historic sites and structures are weighed. The original <br /> proposal that the Advisory Board created did not include these <br /> factors, however, one of the rationales for considering <br /> natural/cultural significance is that much interest has been expressed <br /> by Orange County citizens in preserving these important aspects of <br /> the community. The Planning Board is currently involved in a project <br /> identify dentify scenic roads. The maximum possible points for these <br /> issues is also 300. Most of the parcels have been ranked between 90-- <br /> 120 for natural or cultural significance. The third ranking, overall <br /> significance, combines these two scores. Overall significance is <br /> actually looking at the parcel as being the best of everything; not <br /> only having productive soils, but also having natural and cultural <br /> features. <br /> The Advisory Board first used the farms of the four farmers on <br /> the Board. The second review included 8 other farms so that the LESA <br /> system could give a wider range of comparison. Those farms were <br /> located in Cedar Grove, Little River, Bingham and Chapel Hill <br /> Townships. The farms were grouped into ten productivity groups. Soil <br /> scientists using the Computer Assisted Land Evaluation System assisted <br /> in this review. A map showing the outcome of this review was <br /> discussed. There is a large amount of acreage that is productive <br /> particularly in the southwestern corner and in a band extending from <br /> Mebane to the northwest corner of the County. The LESA system also <br /> studies the uses of the land surrounding the farm in question. It <br /> looks at what is in crop, pasture, forest, residential and non- <br /> residential uses. Points are awarded based on the percentage of land <br /> within 1/2 mile of the farm that is in agricultural or forest use. <br /> The most productive lands for farm and forest are identified. Another <br /> map was displayed which showed the natural areas within the county. <br /> The wetlands and scenic roads were also identified. The Geographic <br /> Information System (GIS) plotted the portions within the farm and 1/2 <br /> mile of the farm that were visible from the road which constituted the <br /> scenic viewshed. Historic sites were also considered. From this <br /> information, the most significant areas, from a natural and cultural <br /> features perspective, were identified. This data on each farm was <br /> combined and a ranking for the 12 farms was established. <br /> A financial analysis of the Farmland Preservation Program is in <br /> its entirety in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's office. The <br /> referendum would be held on November 8, 1994. There will be a second <br /> public hearing regarding the bond issue on September 6, 1994. If the <br /> bond is approved, the bonds will be sold for a twenty year period. <br /> The tax rate impact to pay the debt service on the bonds would require <br />