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11 <br /> PART I-GENERAL ORDINANCES <br /> Chapter 48-VOLUNTARY FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM <br /> Sec. 48-9. - Revocation and renewal of conservation agreement. <br /> (a) Revocation. By written notice to the Board, a landowner of qualifying farmland may revoke the <br /> Conservation Agreement or the Board may revoke the same Conservation Agreement based on <br /> noncompliance by the landowner, subject to the same provisions as contained in Section 48-8 for <br /> appeal of denials. Such revocation shall result in loss of qualifying farm status and loss of eligibility to <br /> participate in an Agricultural District. Absent noncompliance by the landowner, neither the Board nor <br /> the Board of Commissioners shall revoke any conservation agreements prior to its expiration. <br /> (b) Renewal. <br /> (1) District. A Conservation Agreement for land within a Voluntary Agricultural District shall be <br /> automatically renewed for an additional term of ten years unless <br /> Either the <br /> Agriggitural Preservation Board or landowner(s) giv a notige to. h <br /> prior Lo thg termfgaft of thitgulgryation Agreement. At the end of each ten year term <br /> the nservatio'n Agreement shall 'automatica ly renew for an additional ten year tens <br /> unless notice of termination Is given, Absent FieneemplianGe by the IaAdevmer-, Fie" <br /> (2) Enhanced District. A Conservation Agreement for an Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District <br /> shall be deemed automatically renewed for an additional term of three years, unless either the <br /> Agricultural Preservation Board or the landowner(s) gives written notice to the contrary prior to the <br /> termination date of the Conservation Agreement. At the end of each three-year term the <br /> Conservation Agreement shall automatically renew for an additional three-year term unless notice <br /> of termination is given. <br /> (Ord. of 03-24-1992, Art. IX, eff. 04-01-1992; Amend. of 04-20-2010, eff. 04-20-2010) <br /> Sec. 48-10. -Additional enhanced agricultural district benefits. <br /> Land enrolled in the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District program is entitled to all of the benefits <br /> available under the Voluntary Agricultural District program, and to the following additional benefits: <br /> (a) Sale of non-farm products. Landowners participating in Enhanced Districts may receive up to <br /> 25 percent of gross sales from the sale of nonfarm products and still qualify as a bona fide farm <br /> that is exempt from County zoning regulations under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 153A-340(b). A farmer <br /> seeking to benefit from this subsection shall have the burden of establishing that the property's <br /> sale of nonfarm products did not exceed 25 percent of its gross sales. <br /> (b) Agricultural cost share program Landowners participating in Enhanced Districts are eligible <br /> under N.C. Gen: Stat. § 143-215.74(b) to receive the higher percentage of cost-share funds for the <br /> benefit of that farmland under the Agriculture Cost Share Program established pursuant to Part 9 <br /> of Article 21 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes for funds to benefit that farmland. <br /> (c) Priority consideration. State departments, institutions, or agencies that award grants to <br /> farmers are encouraged to give priority consideration to landowners participating in Enhanced <br /> Districts. <br /> (d) Utility assessment waiver. As provided in Section 48-19 below, waiver of all County utility <br /> Orange County, North Carolina, Code of Ordinances <br /> Page 8 of 13 <br />