Orange County NC Website
4 <br />Tribes, States, units of local government, and non-governmental organizations. See Federal <br />Register Volume 69, Number 233, Notice Pages 70427-70432. <br />WHEREAS, Orange County and the United States have mutual interests in preventing <br />the conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses; and <br />WHEREAS, the United States administers the FRPP; and <br />WHEREAS, Orange County administers a farmland protection program and has pending <br />offers for acquiring agricultural conservation easements from landowners within Orange County, <br />and the United States and Orange County have agreed to combine their resources to assure that <br />such areas are protected from conversion to nonagricultural uses. <br />THEREFORE, the parties agree to enter into this Cooperative Agreement. <br />III. OBLIGATION OF FUNDS <br />Upon execution of this agreement, the United States shall obligate the sum of $ 845,686 <br />for the acquisition of the United States' interests in conservation easements. Orange County <br />must request payment of this amount in accordance with Part V of this Cooperative Agreement <br />before September 30, 2007. After this date, any remaining funds will be released from this <br />obligation. <br />This Cooperative Agreement is the authorizing document that obligates CCC funds to <br />acquire conservation easements. The United States' contribution for the acquisition of each <br />conservation easement acquired by Orange County shall be up to but not more than 50% of the <br />appraised fair market value. The United States' contribution cannot be used for closing and <br />related administrative costs incurred in acquiring the conservation easement. Attachment A to <br />this Cooperative Agreement specifies the CCC funds to be used within Orange County and <br />includes a list with a detailed breakdown of the: (1) name and mailing address of the landowner; <br />(2) tax map number(s) of the property; (3) number of acres to be acquired; (4) FRPP's matching <br />share; and (5) the estimated conservation easement value. However, nothing in this document <br />obligates the United States or Orange County to purchase all or any of the conservation <br />easements parcels listed. There maybe further modifications, additions or deletions to the list <br />depending on the prices paid for the conservation easements, the ability to obtain good and clear <br />title, future funding for acquisitions, etc. Additions or deletions to the list will be made by <br />mutual agreement between the Parties to this Cooperative Agreement. <br />IV. ENTITY'S CONTRIBUTION <br />Orange County or designated escrow agent must disburse 100 percent of the payment, <br />representing the easement purchase price, to the landowner at the time of closing, unless it is <br />paying for the easement in installments in accordance with V.B. herein. Landowner donations up <br />to 25 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement maybe considered <br />as part of the entity's matching offer. Where a landowner's donation is considered to be part of <br />