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4 <br /> Adopted 10/18/94 <br /> Draft Revision 8/22/95 <br /> FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM <br /> GOAL: DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE VOLUNTARY FARM AND PRESERVATION PROGRAM FOR <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> STATUS REPORT <br /> This.initiative represents the continuation of an objective included among the <br /> Commissioners'goals fore FY 1992-93.The revised Plan of Action reflects the outcome of the <br /> .November, 189 ifartuland.Preservation bond referendum and the Agricultural.Districts <br /> Advisory Beard s focus on developing a more comprehensive <br /> BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES <br /> In August, 1990,the Board of Commissioners reconstituted the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board and charged <br /> it with developing a purchase of development rights (PDR) program for Orange County. One month later, the <br /> Advisory Board initiated its work, and, in June of 1991,presented a status report to the Board of Commissioners <br /> on the proposal. <br /> The Board of Commissioners asked the Advisory Board to address the following. <br /> s Revision of the system of ranking farmland to include visibility from major thoroughfares and proximity <br /> to municipalities; <br /> s Expansion of the Advisory Board to include municipal representation, including preparation of a <br /> Farmland Preservation Ordinance; and <br /> s Presentation of the PDR proposal to Township Advisory Councils to develop support for the program <br /> proposals. <br /> Between June, 1991 and February, 1993, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board addressed the concerns <br /> identified by the Board of Commissioners as follows: <br /> s March, 1992 Board of Commissioners adopts a Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program <br /> Ordinance recommended by the Advisory Board. <br /> s Mgy, 1992 Board of Commissioners expands the Advisory Board membership to include <br /> municipal representation as recommended by the Advisory Board. <br /> s Mgy, 1992 Advisory Board adopts Rules of Procedure to guide its deliberations. <br /> s April,1992 1,300 notices sent to land owners participating in the Present Use Value Taxation <br /> Program, advising them of the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program. <br /> s Juste, 1992 Orange County's first voluntary agricultural district designated by the Board of <br /> Commissioners. <br /> s September, 1992 Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance amended to reduce the <br /> amount of farm acreage required for participation. <br /> s February, 1993 Ordinance amended to permit small tracts surrounded by or adjacent to existing <br /> or proposed districts to be included. <br /> The system adapted for local use by the Advisory Board in ranking farmland for PDR purposes is the SCS Land <br /> Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) system. The system may be used to evaluate and rank farmland based <br />