Agenda - 02-20-2007-6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 20, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. to -c4 SUBJECT: Resolution of Approval — Conservation Easement for Fickle Creek Farm DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource Conservation ATTACHMENT Resolution of Approval Location Map Site Map Draft Conservation Easement PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Rich Shaw, 245-2591 PURPOSE: To consider a resolution to approve the purchase of and acceptance by Orange County of an agricultural conservation easement for the Fickle Creek Farm. BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve prime farmland in Orange County is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners, and is a priority of the Lands Legacy Program.- Since completing the County's first agricultural conservation easement in 2001, Orange County has protected 865 acres of prime farmland and riparian buffers with conservation easements. Another 824 acres of important natural resource lands have been protected by other means. In April 2005, Orange County, in cooperation with the Orange NRCS/Soil and Water Conservation District Office, applied for matching funds from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP) to purchase a conservation easement for an approximately 61 -acre farm owned by Ben Bergmann and Noah Ranells (now a County employee in the Economic Development Department). Grant funds for this purpose were awarded to Orange County and accepted by BOCC action in June 2005. Fickle Creek Farm is located on the east side of Buckhorn Road (Bingham Township), and is within the Cane Creek watershed. Since acquiring the property in 2002, the owners (Noah Ranells and Ben Bergmann) have made several improvements to the land, which had be ' been out of active farm use for several years. The owners worked with the Orange NRCS/Soil & Water District to install several agricultural best management practices (including fencing, stock trails, and heavy use areas) in accordance with a Conservation Plan. In 2006, the County designated Fickle Creek Farm as part of the Cane Creek/Buckhorn Voluntary Agricultural District. The owners sell their produce, goat meat, chickens and eggs at the Durham and Hillsborough farmers markets. They also offer goat processing, farm stays, farm tours, and weed control with goats.