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ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT 21 <br /> 306F REVERE ROAD <br /> HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 <br /> R p <br /> •1 <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> TO: Orange County Planning Board <br /> FROM: Dolly Hunter, Chair rA"A <br /> Agricultural Districts Advisory Board <br /> SUBJECT: Flexible Development Proposal <br /> DATE: October 2, 1995 <br /> COPIES: Marvin Collins,Planning Director <br /> Gene Bell,Planner III/Comprehensive Planning <br /> Don Belk,Planner IUSpecial Projects <br /> At its September 20, 1995 meeting, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board received a report from <br /> the Planning Staff concerning the Flexible Development proposal. While not considering each aspect of <br /> the proposal in detail, the Board voted to submit the following general comments for your <br /> consideration: <br /> • The Board recognizes that the Flexible Development proposal does not provide the only method of <br /> preserving farmland. It does, however, represent one option available for landowners and farmers <br /> to use in preserving prime farmland in active use. In particular,the Board appreciates the inclusion <br /> of General Guidelines for Farmland Preservation as well as the inclusion of farmland as part of the <br /> Comprehensive Resources Map. <br /> • The Board supports the concept of requiring the submittal of two subdivision plans, one <br /> conventional and one open space, and providing the landowner with the option to choose which to <br /> implement. <br /> • The Board encourages you to complete your review of the proposal and, even if consensus is not <br /> reached on all provisions, recommend that it be presented to public hearing for citizen review. If <br /> this is not possible,the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board requests that you consider updating <br /> two sections of the Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. They include Section 2.2 <br /> Natural Environment and Section 2.5 Agriculture in Orange County. <br /> Section 2.2 should be amended to include the basic concepts of the Comprehensive Resources <br /> Map;e.g.,the identification of Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas. The amendment would <br /> focus attention in the County's Comprehensive Plan on significant resources warranting protection <br /> and would provide a basis for conservation specialists working with farmers to justify tax credits <br /> for farmland preservation purposes. With regard to Section 2.5, that section should be updated to <br /> include more current information;e.g.,the latest Census of Agriculture data <br />