ORD-2000-004 Revisions to the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program (VFPP) Ordinance

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9. ITEMS FOR DECISION - REGULAR AGENDA c5^ -a 4:5)o- C O C� .• a. Revisions to the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program (VFPP) Ordinance The Board considered revisions to the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program ordinance. Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil made a presentation. He said that the general intent of these revisions was to clarify wording changes where different departments have changed names and to broaden the base of the existing Agricultural Preservation Board. Commissioner Brown said that she would like to have a position for people who are simply interested in this topic and not actually in this type of business. Commissioner Gordon said that she would like some of the categories of appointments to be broader. She asked why there was a specific position for someone in the land development field. The Board agreed that there would be a minimum quorum of five for the board. Commissioner Gordon suggested deleting item 'e' on page four, which states: "In making appointments to the Board, the Orange County Board of Commissioners shall consider the recommendations of the Agricultural Preservation Board." She said that this should be in the Board of County Commissioners' procedures, not the Agricultural Preservation Board's procedures. Commissioner Halkiotis asked that this ordinance be reviewed and cleaned up. Commissioner Jacobs asked if this tracked any legislation, and Geoffrey Gledhill said yes. Geoffrey Gledhill said that the legislation should be included with the ordinance when it comes back to the Board. The Board agreed that the ordinance should be consistent with the Board's procedures. The staff will revise the ordinance and bring it back to the Board for consideration. b. Community Revitalization Loan Program The Board was to consider approving operational guidelines for the Community Revitalization Loan Program, however, this item was postponed to a future meeting. Commissioner Brown has questions about this item and will submit those in writing. C. Orange County Fair Housing Plan The Board considered approval of the Orange County Fair Housing Plan. Human Rights and Relations Director Annette Moore made this presentation. She explained how much a low-income family would have to pay above their annual salary to buy a home in Orange County. She also said that there was a general lack of awareness about the Fair Housing Act and the Orange County Civil Rights Act. Based on the findings, the Human Rights and Relations Department recommends: 1) providing one-on-one consultation to landlords to encourage participation in the Section 8 Program; 2)working with the University to promote development of adequate campus housing in order to free up local rental units and make them more affordable; 3)working with HUD to ensure that fair market rents reflect actual market rents in Orange County; 4) meeting with local bank executives to formalize participation in public/private partnerships that further housing opportunities; 5) creating public policies that link public deposits to financial institutions that commit to meeting community reinvestment needs of the County; 6) developing reasonable and evaluative criteria and producing an annual report for the Board of County Commissioners on lending practices of financial institutions operating in Orange County and ceasing to do business with institutions failing to employ inclusive lending practices; 7) building incentives and prescriptions into Orange County regulation for planned unit development that promote affordable, non-segregated housing; 8) studying and promoting other land use strategies that encourage development of affordable housing; 9) increasing educational opportunities through fair housing workshops, forums, and presentations; and 10) adding source of income to the civil rights ordinance in conducting fair housing testing to ensure compliance with the civil rights ordinance. Commissioner Brown was concerned with the accuracy of the data, since it was based on the 1990 census. She noted several statements that did not seem accurate. She said that she would submit some questions and she would like this information corrected and brought back. John Link suggested that the County Commissioners share written comments with Annette Moore. Commissioner Gordon made reference to the paragraph about impediments. She said that this is talking about impediments to affordable housing, and fair housing is different from affordable housing.