Orange County NC Website
1. Applications for qualifying farmland certification shall be made to the County <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Department on forms provided by the <br />Department. <br />2. The Environment and Resource Conservation Department shall review each <br />application for completeness. When complete, the application shall be forwarded to: <br />a. The tax supervisor's office; and <br />b. The local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United <br />States Department of Agriculture. <br />Within 30 days of receiving an application, the offices stated in this subsection shall <br />evaluate the application for compliance with the requirements of this subsection A.2. <br />and return their findings to the Environment and Resource Conservation <br />Department. The Environment and Resource Conservation Department shall present <br />the application for consideration at the first meeting of the Board, following receipt <br />of the findings of the offices stated in this subsection. <br />3. Within 60 days of receipt of the findings of the tax supervisor and Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service offices, the Board will render a decision regarding the <br />application for qualifying farmland status, and, if applicable, prepare a <br />recommendation to the Board of Commissioners regarding the establishment of a <br />Voluntary Agricultural. District. The chair of the Board will notify the applicant by <br />mail of the Board's decision as to whether the real property for which certification is <br />sought satisfies the criteria established in this Ordinance and has been certified as <br />qualifying farmland. The chair of the Board will also notify the applicant of the <br />Board's recommendation concerning Voluntary Agricultural District designation. <br />4. Upon receipt of the recommendation of the Board, the Board of Commissioners may <br />consider establishment of a Voluntary Agricultural District. In deciding whether to <br />establish a District, the Board of Commissioners shall consider the findings of the <br />tax supervisor and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices as well as the <br />recommendation of the Board. <br />5. Upon approval by the Board of Commissioners, the establishment of a Voluntary <br />Agricultural District shall become effective upon recordation of the necessary <br />conservation agreements, prepared in accordance with Article VII, Section A.S., <br />executed by the landowner and the county, and recorded in the County register of <br />deeds as provided in G.S. 121-41. <br />6. Upon recordation of the requisite number of conservation easements, the <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Department will notify the tax supervisor <br />