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71 Historical Perspective on the Work of the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board May 8, 1998 Page Two The Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance was amended in September 1992 to reduce the amount of farm acreage required for participation. In February 1993, the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance was amended to permit small tracts surrounded by or adjacent to existing or proposed districts to be included. Purchase of Development Rights/Farmland Preservation Bond: 1993 -1994 PDR Program guidelines were developed during 1993 -1994 by the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board and the Planning Staff. During preparations for 1994 Farmland Bond, the ADAB and staff assembled a technical manual for the evaluation and assessment of farmland. Known as "the Green Book ", this document contains the detailed methodology for the evaluation and ranking of farmland applying for the PDR program. Applications would be evaluated and ranked using the Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) system developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. LESA ranks farmland according to several factors. First, it is evaluated for its agricultural significance. Such factors as cropland and forest land productivity, as well as farm characteristics such as size, percentage of site in farm use, conservation plan implementation, adjacent land uses, and distance to urban area are assessed. Secondly, a farm is evaluated for natural /cultural significance, where the presence of natural areas and wildlife corridors, wetlands, scenic vistas, and historic sites is assessed. These factors are totaled, and rankings are based on the overall significance of, each farm that applies to and evaluated for the PDR program. The LESA system has been used extenively nationwide. Forsyth County, North Carolina is notable among the jurisdictions that have used LESA. For farmland ranking highest under this evaluation system, an independent appraisal would be conducted to determine its development value. The farmland owner, upon receiving results of the appraisal, would present an offer to the County for the sale of `development rights'. If the offer is acceptable to the County, a purchase agreement is authorized. At closing, a conservation easement restricting the future non - agricultural development of the land is executed. These procedures are detailed in Section 3 of the Green Book. In May 1994, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board met with Board of Commissioners to review work completed to date on the LESA system, and administrative procedures and financial options for a PDR program. Subsequently, the Board of Commissioners adopted a bond calendar and proceeded with plans to hold a referendum on a $5.0 million farmland preservation program. In November 1994, the bond issue was defeated by a margin of 52% to 48 %. Activities of the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board 1994 - Present Since the November 1994 bond referendum, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board has focused on a more comprehensive approach to farmland preservation, with an emphasis -on public education and voluntary landowner initiatives.