Minutes 12-07-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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b. Voluntary and Enhanced Agricultural District Designation: Multiple Farms - Saier/Knapp; Griffin; Hughes/Sakiewicz; Woods; Parker; Gray/Warren; Latta; Irvin Farm; Atwater; and Durham The Board considered applications from multiple landowners/farms to certify qualifying farmland within the Caldwell, Cane Creek/Buckhorn, High Rock/Efland, New Hope/Hillsborough, Schley/Eno, and White Cross Voluntary Agricultural Districts; and enroll the lands in the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD); and certify the ten (10) farm properties totaling 1,325 acres VAD and 530 acres EVAD (rounded acreage) as qualifying farms. Gail Hughes, Orange County Resource Conservation Coordinator, made the following PowerPoint presentation, and introduced the various farms and their owners: Orange County Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Program December 7, 2015 Orange County VAD/EVAD Program Benefits of Agricultural Districts ➢ Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) is a 10-year commitment but the landowner can be withdrawn from the VAD at any time, for any reason, with a 30-day notification. ➢ Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) is an irrevocable 10-year commitment, therefore the "enhanced" qualifies farm for 90% cost share rates and a priority for grants funds. Benefits include: ➢ Makes public more aware of the local agricultural and its vital role in the economics of the county; ➢ Recorded notice of agricultural district is recorded at County Land Records office; ➢ Land search on all properties within a 1/2 mile radius is notified of the agricultural status, therefore, the landowner has increased protection from nuisance lawsuits. ➢ Public hearings for proposed condemnation of VAD land and utility assessments may be suspended or waived on EVAD land if not connected to the utility. Farm may receive up to 25% of gross sales from the sale of non-farm products and still maintain its zoning exemption as a bona fide farm. (EVAD only) Brief Farm Descriptions 1) Owners of the Ramble Rill Farm, Jane Saier and Darin Knapp, have submitted an application to enroll one (1) parcel of land totaling 10.01 acres as qualifying farmland for the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District program (EVAD) in the New Hope/Hillsborough Agricultural District. The farm operation includes various vegetables and fruit crops such as grapes, strawberries, radishes, onions, and tomatoes (to name a few) and managed woodland. The Ramble Rill Farm has been evaluated against each of the EVAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above. 2) Owners of the W& F Family Farm, LLC, Frances Griffin, Michael/Margaret Griffin, Edward/Linda Griffin, and Katherine G. Von St. Paul, have submitted an application to enroll five (5) parcels of land totaling 175.49 acres as qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program in the High Rock/Efland Agricultural District. The farm operation includes hay crops, and managed woodland. The W& F Family Farm and adjourning acres owned by the Griffin family has been evaluated against each of the VAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above.