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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 12, 2013 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 2 <br />SUBJECT: Lands Legacy Action Plan for FY 2014 -17 <br />DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />and Recreation (DEAPR) <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />A) Lands Legacy Program Overview David Stancil, 245 -2510 <br />B) Draft Annual Action Plan (2014 -17) Rich Shaw, 245 -2514 <br />PURPOSE: To consider and provide feedback on the draft Lands Legacy Action Plan for the <br />three -year period (July 2014 — June 2017). <br />BACKGROUND: The Board of Commissioners established the Lands Legacy Program in <br />2000. Through this program, Orange County seeks to protect its most critical natural and <br />cultural resources through a variety of voluntary means. Over the first 12 years of the program, <br />Orange County acquired land for seven new parks, conserved 16 active farms (1,700 acres), <br />and protected nearly 600 acres of natural open space in the Eno River, Cane Creek, Little River, <br />and New Hope Creek watersheds. Over that period, the County helped other partners protect <br />an additional 1,544 acres of sensitive resource lands. <br />Most projects are accomplished in partnership with other conservation entities, including the <br />Triangle Land Conservancy, Orange Water & Sewer Authority, Eno River Association, the <br />Orange NRCS /Soil & Water office, State and Federal trust funds, and neighboring local <br />governments. With those partnerships, Orange County has been awarded over $5 million in <br />grants for park acquisition or construction and for conserving farms and open space. <br />The Lands Legacy Program is directed by the BOCC's adoption of an Action Plan. The <br />proposed 2014 -17 Action Plan reflects acquisition priorities for the three -year period beginning <br />July 1, 2014 and ending June 30, 2017. Action Plan development is aided by input from citizen <br />advisory boards — Commission for the Environment (for natural areas, prime forest, riparian <br />buffers, and open space /trails); Agricultural Preservation Board (for farmland preservation); <br />Historic Preservation Board (for historic /cultural resources); and the Parks and Recreation <br />Council (for parklands, open space /trails). <br />This Action Plan comes at a time when staff is mindful of several new developments that will <br />affect the County's land conservation actions and decisions: <br />