Orange County NC Website
12D��4�72��OD(7�8I1I5I�O IIII I)I I I)I II I II tI l(l�l <br /> RB5821 534 3/19 <br /> (2)the Land Use Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan <br /> (adopted November 18, 2008)with its goal of"Land uses that are appropriate to on-site <br /> environmental conditions and features, and that protect natural resources, cultural <br /> resources, and community character." <br /> (3)the protection of similar Orange County properties designed to protect <br /> conservation and open space values through conservation easements granted to the Grantee and <br /> others in the immediate vicinity of the Easement Area; and <br /> (4) NCGS § 139-2 et seq., which provides that "it is hereby declared ...that the <br /> farm, forest and grazing lands of the State of North Carolina are among the basic assets of the <br /> State and the preservation of these lands is necessary to protect and promote the health, safety <br /> and general welfare of its people... it is hereby declared to be the policy of the legislature to <br /> provide for the conservation of the soil and resources of this State"; and <br /> (6)Article 17 of the North Carolina General Statutes NCGS 113A-240-241, <br /> entitled Conservation, Farmland and Open Space Protection and Coordination, otherwise known <br /> as the"Million Acre Initiative,"which states that the State of North Carolina shall encourage, <br /> facilitate,plan, coordinate, and support appropriate federal, State, local, and private land <br /> protection efforts so that an additional one million acres of farmland, open space and <br /> conservation lands in the State are permanently protected by December 31, 2009; and <br /> (7)the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, authorized by NCGS § I I3A-251 et <br /> seq., which finances projects to acquire land and interests in land, including conservation <br /> easements for the purposes of providing environmental protection for surface waters and urban <br /> drinking water supplies; and <br /> (8) the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act, authorized by NCGS § 139-1. <br /> et seq., which provides for the preservation of farm, forest and grazing lands; and <br /> (9) the special use assessment of farm and forestland as set forth in NCGS § 105- <br /> 277.2 et seq., which allows for lower property tax rates for land enrolled in active agricultural <br /> uses. <br /> D. The characteristics and conservation values of the Easement Area, its current use <br /> and state of improvement, are described in a report entitled"Baseline Documentation Report for <br /> the Davis Conservation Easement,"dated July 2014 (hereafter"the Baseline Report") prepared <br /> by Orange County DEAPR for the Grantors, of which a summary is attached as Exhibit B to this <br /> Conservation Easement. The Grantor worked with the Grantee to ensure that the report is a <br /> complete and accurate description of the Easement Area as of the date of this Conservation <br /> Easement. It will be used by the Grantors and Grantee to assure that any future changes in the <br /> use of the Easement Area will be consistent with the terms of this Conservation Easement. Tile <br /> Page 3 of 15 <br />