Agenda - 11-27-1995 - C-6 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SECTION I. GOALS & ACTION STRATEGIES Rural Character means different things to different people. As such, defining coral character and settling goals for the protection of that character are no simple task. To adopt goals, meetings were held involving Rural Character Study Committee members and residents from each portion of the county to discuss needs and interests. Additional considerations were the natural and cultural resources, land use activities, and long-term plans for the county and its townships. From this work, goals for protection of rural character were developed as identified below. .................... ... CHA W. ER:P)R�OTEC'FIOAi:GOAT;$: 1. PRESERVE & PROTECT AGRICULTURE/MANAGED FORESTRY 2. PRESERVE & PROTECT NATURAL/CULTURAL RESOURCES 3. PRESERVE & PROTECT VISUAL RESOURCES 4. ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF GROWTH WHILE PROTECTING RURAL CHARACTER The following section explains these goals, mchuhng action strategies recommended to accomplish each. GOAL 1: PRESERVE & PROTECT AGRICULTURE AND MANAGED FORESTRY. Agriculture is Orange's County's oldest economy and is the source of much of the area's "rural character". References to dairies, tobacco farm, and livestock operations can be found in the earliest colonial records of the county. While active agncukunl operations exist in Rural Orange today, the amount of land involved in agriculture has declined dramatically. Between 1950 and 1992, fammlaod acreage decreased by almost 62%. Even so, in 1992, almost 26% of the county land was in farm use, with approximately 60% crop or pastureland use. Forest land managed for timber production and/or the provision of wildlife habitats is also a crucial component of the county's rural character. Forest resources, both private and public, provide homes for a wide variety of plant and animal species. ACTION STRATEGIES Strategies recomm ded for the preservation of farms and forest lands include the following: 1. Implement Fkaible Develop aim options that permit =da disl subdivisions, and farming and forestry operations to co-cug. Encourage develop®eot options that allow fanmmg to occur within open space set-asides and enable farmers to realize a retina on portions of their land without converting all land for development purposes. Where developers use open-space options to keep farmland it cultivation, pasture or to provide a substantial buffer to adjoining farms and, allow them to utilize density bonuses elsewhere on the tract. Encourage the County staff to provide design assistance and model covenants to landowners/developers willing to utilize this approach. Goals & Action Strategies 1