Minutes 08-21-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Thompson Farm +/- 57 acres Back Creek watershed Tobacco � Prawn Farm Cropland Photograph of Farm, Facilities, Mr. Thompson, Prawn (6) Exhibit C-1: Easement Area Description Map Agricultural Conservation Easement Thompson Farm Perpetual Easement (40 acres) Rights of privacy Right to farm Agricultural buildings/structures Existing residence No future subdivision Agricultural Conservation Easement Thompson Farm Funding Partners: USDA Farm & Ranchland Protection Program NC ADFP Trust Fund Orange County Landowner donation Black Family Land Trust Agricultural Conservation Easement Thompson Farm Grantees: Joe and Geraldine Thompson Grantor: Black Family Land Trust Back-up Grantor: Orange County Commissioner McKee asked if Orange County was exposed to any liability or responsibility by being the secondary easement holder. John Roberts said no. Commissioner McKee then asked what would be left in the fund after the expenditure of the $36,000. Mr. Shaw replied they had exhausted the funds allocated for conservation easement purposes so this is coming out of the larger Land's Legacy Fund that is for multiple uses including conservation easements. Dave Stancil commented the residual balance would be roughly $1,583,000 in the total Land's Legacy Fund. Commissioner Hemminger said she's always excited about a conservation easement. She asked when they have any hope of getting the Back Creek portion which is going up for a separate funding. She stated the Clean Water Trust Fund hasn't had much money allocated and that seems like a piece of property they want to protect watershed wise. Mr. Shaw replied there is nothing in the horizon and there is a lot less funding available through the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. They split that part off hoping three or four years ago this would be an opportunity because they knew funds were limited for farm land protection itself. He does not foresee any time in the near future having funds for that other flood plain portion of the property. Commissioner Hemminger asked if that would stay in the hopper of possibilities for the Land's Legacy Program and Mr. Shaw said yes. The buffer requirements were then discussed and Mr. Shaw said they did not have any type of fencing requirements built into this because the nature of that part of the farm is for prawn production and there's no pasture there. They didn't foresee that need in this particular project but it's still something to consider and explore with further protection of that waterway because it does flow into the Mebane water supply.