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4 <br /> 1 in 25 years, towards ADA compliance. She added that there is much more yet to be done to <br /> 2 improve access issues and she and her council are here to assist in any way. <br /> 3 Ellen Perry thanked the Board for this resolution and said she helped the Visitor's <br /> 4 Bureau in producing the access guide. She said she supports Commissioner Jacobs' <br /> 5 suggestion to take care of the access issues in one year. She invited them to a birthday on <br /> 6 July 21 st for ADA in Orange County. <br /> 7 Commissioner Price said she would like a group of citizens with disabilities to go to all <br /> 8 the County buildings to insure that the County is aware of all needs to be addressed regarding <br /> 9 ADA. <br /> 10 <br /> 11 b. Voluntary and Enhanced Agricultural District Designation: Multiple Farms - <br /> 12 Bowers, Bortz, Thompson, Vanhook (2), Summers, and Teer <br /> 13 The Board considered approving applications for seven (7) farm properties totaling 971 <br /> 14 acres (VAD) and 376 acres (EVAD) (rounded acreage) and designate them as Voluntary or <br /> 15 Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District farms within the Cedar Grove, Caldwell, Cane <br /> 16 Creek/Buckhorn, and White Cross Voluntary Agricultural Districts; and enroll the lands in the <br /> 17 Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br /> 18 District (EVAD) programs. With approval of these additional acres, the Orange County <br /> 19 Voluntary Agricultural District Program will have enrolled 60 farms, totaling 7,162 acres in the <br /> 20 VAD and 1,329 acres in the EVAD for a total of 8,491 acres (rounded) in the program. <br /> 21 Gail Hughes introduced Renee McPherson as the new chair of the Agricultural <br /> 22 Preservation Board. <br /> 23 Gail Hughes made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br /> 24 <br /> 25 Orange County Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District Program <br /> 26 Orange County Board of Commissioners Meeting <br /> 27 June 2, 2015 <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Orange County VAD/EVAD Program <br /> 30 (Orange County Voluntary Farmland Protection Program) <br /> 31 Benefits of Agricultural Districts <br /> 32 <br /> 33 • The Voluntary Agricultural Program is a locally led program, with review and oversight <br /> 34 from the Agriculture Preservation Board (appointed by the BOCC); endorsed and <br /> 35 supported by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. <br /> 36 • Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) is a 10 year commitment but the landowner can <br /> 37 withdraw from the VAD program at any time, for any reason, with a 30 day notification to <br /> 38 the Agriculture Preservation Board. <br /> 39 • Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) is an irrevocable 10 year commitment, <br /> 40 therefore the "enhanced" level qualifies farm for 90% cost share rates -through State <br /> 41 programs- and a priority for Farmland Preservation grants funds. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 Benefits include: <br /> 44 • Makes public more aware of the local agricultural and its vital role in the economics of <br /> 45 the county; <br /> 46 • Recorded notice of agricultural district is recorded at County Land Records office; <br /> 47 • Land search on all properties within a '/2 mile radius is notified of the agricultural status, <br /> 48 therefore, the landowner has increased protection from nuisance lawsuits. <br /> 49 • Public hearings for proposed condemnation of VAD land and utility assessments may be <br /> 50 suspended or waived on EVAD land if not connected to the utility. <br />