Orange County NC Website
has 4.6 million dollars allocated over ten years. The County has already been working with the Triangle <br />Land Conservancy and the Eno River Association. He listed four guiding principles for implementation. He <br />said that he has taken the Board's response from October and February and developed some <br />recommendations. He said that the staff would propose to develop an annual action plan. He would like to <br />bring an interim action plan to one of the next meetings for the Board's review. The recommendation is that <br />the Board discuss any of the changes that need to be made and adopt a resolution that would make the <br />Lands Legacy Program the County's policy for land acquisition. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he believes that one of the most important things that the <br />government can do for its citizens is protect these kinds of lands and leave a legacy for others. He thinks <br />that some of the efforts that were recently initiated are very much in keeping with these goals of preserving <br />some of the areas of Orange County. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked about the properties that Orange County awns and if there are any <br />signs such as, "No Hunting" or "County Property." <br />David Stancil said that there are not any signs at this point, but there is a plan to have them. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 28 and evaluative criteria and said that there <br />was nothing in that section of the document that speaks to the imminence of the threat. He suggested that <br />this be included in this section. He made reference to page 32 about the staffs working together to develop <br />a parallel program far acquisition through the development process and David Stancil clarified that this <br />included the payment in lieu programs and transfer of development rights. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he hopes that the Board's concerns as spoken tonight about the <br />Bricewood Acres subdivision would be referred back to the Planning Board and the Parks and Recreation <br />Board. He would like to move the discussion in a little bit different direction from just accepting payment in <br />lieu as often as in the past. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 35 and the dedicated surcharge and asked if this <br />was for any fund. David Stancil said that it would be to any fund in addition to the taxing authority. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to approve <br />adopting the resolution as stated below which provides a program for natural and cultural resource land <br />acquisitions. <br />A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PRIORITIZED RESOURCE LANDS ACQUISITION <br />PROGRAM ENTITLED, "A LANDS LEGACY PROGRAM FOR ORANGE COUNTY" <br />WHEREAS, in June of 1998, the Orange County Board of Commissioners did agree to the intent of creating <br />a "Comprehensive Resource Acquisition Program" to prioritize and acquire natural and cultural resource <br />lands of strategic significance in Orange County; and <br />WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on a new Environment and Resource <br />Conservation Department, including this land acquisition program concept, on November 22, 1998; and <br />WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners has recognized the need for a prioritized and voluntary <br />program for the County to acquire, by various methods, important natural and cultural resource lands; and <br />WHEREAS, the Board is cognizant of the many other similar efforts undertaken in 1998-99 by local <br />governments around the nation, and of proposals by other local governments within North Carolina and the <br />Research Triangle region to establish open space preservation programs: <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: <br />That the Orange County Board of Commissioners do adapt a land acquisition program entitled, "A Lands <br />Legacy Program for Orange County" (hereinafter the "Lands Legacy program"), as developed by County <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Department staff and County preservation-related advisory boards <br />in 1999, and refined by direction of the Board of County Commissioners in October, 1999 and April, 2000. <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Lands Legacy program will be the County's mechanism of preserving <br />important natural resource lands, cultural resources, farmland, parklands and watershed riparian buffers, <br />and is hereby incorporated into Orange County's policies as the County program for land acquisitions, as <br />designated in the program presented April 4, 2000, as amended by the Board. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />