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i <br />r <br />7 <br />provides the legal basis for counties to establish <br />voluntary agricultural districts. Under the statutes, <br />any ordinance adopted for implementation purposes must <br />provide for the establishment of an Agricultural <br />Advisory Board, organized and appointed as the County <br />deems appropriate. <br />A draft Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program <br />Ordinance, prepared by the Agricultural Districts <br />Advisory Board but never considered for adoption by the <br />Commissioners, contained specific provisions for <br />appointing such a Board. The Board would be comprised <br />of nine members, with seven actively engaged in <br />farming. While all members must be county residents, <br />each farmer must represent a different township. The <br />two remaining members would include.an at -large member <br />and a representative of the development community. <br />Mrs. Walters' reason for suggesting the Advisory Board <br />was the group's knowledge of farmland preservation <br />issues, including PDR. However, if the Advisory Board <br />is charged with developing the PDR proposal, some new <br />members will have to be appointed. In addition, more <br />lattitude in membership may be needed, since some <br />townships have fewer farms than others, and it will not <br />always be possible to insure a farm representative from <br />each. This may require that more than one farmer be <br />appointed from a township. <br />The current slate of Advisory Board members was <br />appointed in March, 1987. Existing members who have <br />indicated their continued willingness to serve include <br />the following: <br />Mrs. Elizabeth Walters Cedar Grove Township <br />Mr. Chris Hogan Chapel Hill Township <br />Mr. Bob Nutter Bingham Township <br />In addition to the above, a list of persons who may be <br />interested in serving on the Advisory Board is provided <br />as an attachment. Rather than recommending persons for <br />membership now, they can be contacted to determine <br />their interest. A revised list, from which appointments <br />can be made, can then be presented to the Board of <br />Commissioners at its September 6, 1990 meeting. <br />RECOHMNDATION: The Administration recommends that the Agricultural <br />Districts Advisory Board be charged with developing a <br />Purchase of Development Rights proposal in conjunction <br />with the staffs of the Soil Conservation Service, <br />Agricultural Extension Service, Agricultural <br />Stabilization & Conservation Service, and Planning & <br />Inspections Department. <br />