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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 21, 2011 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 5 - I <br />SUBJECT: Resolution of Approval -Conservation Easement for Breeze Farm (Phase 2) <br />DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />and Recreation (DEAPR) <br />ATTACHMENTS <br />1. Resolution of Approval <br />2. Location Map <br />3. Site Map <br />4. Draft Conservation Easement <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />David Stancil, 245-2510 <br />Rich Shaw, 245-2514 <br />Brent Bogue, 245-2751 <br />PURPOSE: To consider a resolution to approve the purchase of and acceptance by Orange <br />County of an agricultural conservation easement for the Breeze farm. <br />BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to protect prime <br />farmland in Orange County is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners and is a <br />priority of the Lands Legacy Program. Through this program, the County has helped protect <br />1,300 acres of privately-owned farmland and natural areas with permanent conservation <br />easements. <br />Over the past few years, Orange County has been working with the Orange NRCS/Soil and <br />Water Conservation District to complete a planned two-phased conservation easement on <br />the Breeze farm located on Schley Road in Cedar Grove Township. In 2008 the County <br />acquired an easement on a 141-acre portion of Breeze farm (Phase 1). Phase 2 of the <br />easement is planned for the adjacent 153 acres of the family farm. <br />In 2010 Orange County was awarded $150,000 in State funds from the NC Agricultural <br />Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund to complete Phase 2 of the <br />project. The County also received $172,000 in federal matching funds from the US <br />Department of Agriculture's Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP). Over the <br />last year, DEAPR has worked with the landowners and with the grant agencies on the details <br />of the easement that is presented now for Board approval. <br />Breeze farm, also known as Blue Bonnet Farm, is owned by Colonel William H. Breeze, Sr. <br />Colonel Breeze, a retired Air Force colonel, purchased the property in 1947 and farmed the <br />land for many decades. For the past ten years, Colonel Breeze has leased the farm to raise <br />beef cattle and for hay and wheat production. In 2003 Colonel Breeze and his late wife <br />Elizabeth donated a nearby 163-acre portion of the farm to NC State University to establish <br />the W.C. Breeze Agricultural Extension and Research Facility. <br />