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- - <br /> Orange County Agricultural Districts Advisory Board 3 <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> TO: Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> FROM: Dolly Hunter, Chair � �>�r/ <br /> Agricultural Districts Advis ry Board <br /> SUBJECT: Farmland Preservation Program: Goals for 1997-98 Fiscal Year <br /> DATE: November 27, 1996 <br /> COPIES: Marvin Collins, Planning Director <br /> Donald R. Belk, Planner II/Preservation <br /> On behalf of the Orange County Agricultural Districts Advisory Board, I want to thank the Board of <br /> County Commissioners for its continuing support of farmland preservation. FY 1996-97 has been a <br /> year of introspection for the ADAB as we have considered ideas and proposals that could aid_in the <br /> protection of our farmland resources. <br /> By the conclusion of FY 1996-97, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board will have completed the <br /> following objectives: <br /> • Conduct a public forum, Estate Planning Tools for Landowners: A Workshop on Land Saving <br /> Options, to inform and educate rural landowners on the potential benefits of conservation <br /> easements in estate planning. <br /> • Complete a study assessing the feasibility of establishing an Orange County land trust as well as a <br /> Preservation Division within the Planning Department. <br /> • Develop the Agriculture goals statement for the Economic Development Commission's Strategic <br /> Plan. The goals statement is from an ad hoc subcommittee organized by ADAB to consider <br /> agriculture's future role in the Orange County economy. <br /> • Consider alternative sources of funding for a revised Purchase of Development Rights program, <br /> including a proposal to use deferred use-value tax payments to fund an easement acquisition <br /> program. <br /> • Complete a Cost of Community Services Study that demonstrates "Preservation of Farmland <br /> Pays". This project will show how costs of providing residential services outweigh the costs of <br /> preserving farmland and open space. <br /> • Conduct a Comprehensive Survey of Orange County Agriculture Status and Trends. This survey, <br /> developed by a graduate student from the Department of City and Regional Planning at the <br /> University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, will serve to update the 1981 report To Preserve Our <br /> Farms. The survey will help the farming community;the public, and county government determine <br /> appropriate strategies for preserving agriculture. (Continuing into FY97-98.) <br /> do orange County Planning&Inspections Department <br /> 306FRevere Road <br /> Hillsborough,NC 2 72 78 <br /> Hillsborough-732-8181 Chapel Hill•967-9251 Durham•688-7331 Mebane•227-2031 <br />