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22 <br /> 7. In February, 1993, the Ordinance was amended to permit small tracts surrounded by or adjacent to <br /> existing or proposed districts to be included. <br /> The system being adapted for local use by the Advisory Board in ranking farmland for PDR purposes is the SCS <br /> Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) system. The LESA system has been used extensively nationwide, <br /> and Forsyth County, North Carolina is notable among the jurisdictions which have used the system for this <br /> purpose. <br /> The LESA system evaluates and ranks farmland based on specific criteria, some based on soil survey data and <br /> some based on locally defined site characteristics.The criteria recommended by the Agricultural Districts Advisory <br /> Board are listed below along with status of work on each. <br /> Criteria Status <br /> Cropland Productivity Completed <br /> Forest Land Productivity Completed <br /> Site Assessment Factors <br /> Farm Characteristics <br /> Size of Farm Completed <br /> Percent of Site Farmed Completed <br /> Conservation Plan Implementation Completed <br /> Use Compatibility <br /> Percent of Farm in Farm Use Completed <br /> • Land Use Adjacent to Site Completed <br /> Distance to Urban Area Completed <br /> Natural & Cultural Resources <br /> Natural Areas/Wildlife Habitats Completed <br /> Wildlife Corridors Completed <br /> Scenic Roads & Viewsheds Completed <br /> Historic Sites & Structures Completed <br /> Wetlands Completed <br /> Much of the staff work associated with this project has been accomplished by compiling/analyzing large amounts <br /> of data using GIS. <br /> RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS <br /> Development of a farmland preservation program will involve the following commitment of staff resources: <br /> Planning Director Planner II/Special Projects <br /> Planner I/GIS Administrative Assistant U <br /> Staff will compile data from time sheets concerning staff hours expended and costs associated with completion of <br /> this goal. Monthly reports will be distributed to County Manager,Agricultural Districts Advisory Board, Planning <br /> Board, and Board of Commissioners outlining monthly/cumulative staff hours and costs assigned to this project. <br />