Agenda - 12-04-2017 - 4-a - Voluntary and Enhanced Agricultural District Designation - Multiple Farms

Browse Search

3 7) Owners of Holden Roberts Farm, Nels and Nancy Anderson, have submitted an application to update acreage ownership for one (1) parcel of land and to change this parcel of land (58.42 acres) from the VAD to the EVAD designation. Due to the increase of 1.44 acres, the parcel number has changed and the new acreage for the parcel is 59.86 acres. The Andersons request the total acres, 59.86, to be enrolled as qualifying farmland for the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) program in the Schley/Eno Agricultural District. The farm operation includes beef cattle, pastures, hay crops and managed woodland. The farm property has been evaluated against each of the EVAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. Voluntary Agricultural Districts are non-monetary and non-binding conservation agreements. Enhanced Voluntary Agriculture Districts are non-monetary and are binding 10-year conservation agreements. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. The Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program ordinance conserves, protects and encourages the preservation and improvement of agricultural land within the County boundaries as a critical component of the County's cultural and rural character and its economy by virtue of the production of food, fiber and other products. The purpose of this Ordinance is to reduce the loss of productive and existing farmland by promoting agricultural values and the general welfare of the County, recognize the existence of important farmlands by seeking to minimize risks of nuisance suits that arise from the onset of other land uses, encourage participation in voluntary programs to preserve and protect farmland from non-farm development and increase identity and awareness of the agricultural community, and its role in the economic and cultural quality of life for all County residents. (from the Orange County VAD program ordinance) RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board certify the seven (7) farm properties noted above totaling 588* acres (VAD) and 31 acres* (EVAD), in addition to the 58.42 acres of VAD to EVAD designation change as denoted in the attached documentation, as qualifying farmland; designate the properties as a Voluntary or Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District farm within the Caldwell, Cane Creek/Buckhorn, Schley/Eno, and Cedar Grove Voluntary Agricultural Districts; and enroll the lands in the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) programs. With approval of these additional acres, the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program will have enrolled 93 farms totaling 10,231 acres* in the VAD and 2,323* acres in the EVAD, fora total of 12,554 acres (rounded) in the program. * Acres are rounded numbers and adjusted for the VAD to EVAD enrollment change.