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by the Orange County Soil Survey as Georgeville B silt loam,Herndon B/C silt loam and <br /> Lignum silt loam,which are all well suited for crop and hay production. [With the exception <br /> of Lignum soil,the potential for urban uses such as houses and streets is also high.] A soils <br /> map is provided as Attachment E. The land qualifies for the special use ad valorem property <br /> tax assessment for lands used for silvicultural, agricultural or horticultural purposes, set forth <br /> in N.C. Gen. Stat. 105.277.3 et. seq. The Shys have participated in the County's Land Value <br /> Program and intend for that to continue following execution of the conservation easement. <br /> 4) Rural character and"open space" <br /> It is a secondary purpose of the Easement to help to protect the rural character and <br /> open space present in this area of Bingham Township. The property is located in a highly <br /> rural and scenic area of Bingham Township in southwestern Orange County. Bradshaw <br /> Quarry Road is identified in the Orange County Comprehensive Plan as one of the County's <br /> more scenic rural roads(Attachment F). Although woodland buffers block views of the <br /> property from Bradshaw Quarry,interior views within the property are quite scenic with a <br /> mix of hardwood and pine forest surrounding rolling pastures,an open meadow and pond. <br /> The combination of natural habitat and agricultural resources existing on the property, and <br /> the land's contribution to the protection of the area water supply and rural character/open <br /> space are referred to as the "conservation values" of the Easement Area. <br /> Property Description <br /> The property is comprised of 44.72 acres. As noted above,the property is divided into two <br /> contiguous tracts—one about 33 acres in size and the other about 12 acres. A 1998 aerial <br /> orthophoto of the property is provided as Attachment G. The two tracts were recently <br /> reconfigured in accordance with the survey plat dated January 28,2002 by ENT Land <br /> Survey, Inc. of Hillsborough,NC. The property will be described with reference to the <br /> proposed new configuration of the two lots: Lot 1-R(32.95 acres) and Lot 2(11.77 acres). <br /> A copy of the survey plat is provided at Attachment H. <br /> Lot 1-R <br /> Lot 1-R is irregularly-shaped and is comprised of parcels 1-A (14.32 acres)and 1-B(18.63 <br /> acres).represented on the ENT survey plat(January 2002). Lot 1-R surrounds Lot 2 on three <br /> sides and is bounded to the west by Apple Mill Road and Bradshaw Quarry Road,to the <br /> north by agricultural land(Snipes),to the east by residential property(Smith),and to-the <br /> south by undeveloped wooded property(Smith and OWASA)and Mitchell Mountain Road, <br /> a private, gravel roadway owned and maintained by Orange Water and Sewer Authority <br /> (OWASA). Across Mitchell Mountain Rd. are two forested lots owned by the Apple family. <br /> The conservation easement would allow Lot 1-R to be subdivided into two separate lots, <br /> illustrated as Lots 1-A and 1-B. That delineation is used to further describe the property. <br /> Lot 1-A <br /> This parcel includes the Shy residence, five outbuildings, a grassed meadow(about 2 <br /> acres) and a one-acre pond. The outbuildings include a carport,one-story cabin, <br /> tractor shed(15'x16% garden shed(10'x10'), and small storage shed (4'x10'). An <br /> additional two-story structure sits along the driveway and overlooks the pond. The <br /> Page 3 of 6 <br />