Agenda - 12-12-2017 - 8-d - Resolution of Approval – Conservation Easement for High Rock Road Farmland; and Approval of Budget Amendment #4-A

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9 Hill CE Draft 11/16/2017 (2)North Carolina General Statute 139-2 et seq., which provides that"it is hereby declared ...that the farm, forest and grazing lands of the State of North Carolina are among the basic assets of the State and the preservation of these lands is necessary to protect and promote the health, safety and general welfare of its people... it is hereby declared to be the policy of the legislature to provide for the conservation of the soil and resources of this State;" (3)North Carolina General Statute 106-583 et seq., which states that"It is declared to be the policy of the State of North Carolina to promote the efficient production and utilization of the products of the soil as essential to the health and welfare of our people and to promote a sound and prosperous agriculture and rural life as indispensable to the maintenance of maximum prosperity;" (4) The Uniform North Carolina Conservation and Historic Preservation Agreements Act, North Carolina General Statute 121-34 et seq., which provides that conservation agreements are "interests in land" which may be effective"perpetually;" which provides for the enforceability of restrictions, easements, covenants or conditions "...appropriate to retaining land or water areas predominantly in their natural, scenic, or open condition or in agricultural, horticultural, farming or forest use...;" and which provides for tax assessment of lands subject to such agreements "on the basis of the true value of the land and improvement less any reduction in value caused by the agreement;" (5) The establishment of the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund established in 1986 (N.C.G.S. 106-744(c) as amended) to preserve important farmland in North Carolina; (6) the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, authorized by NCGS § 113A-251 et seq., which finances projects to acquire land and interests in land, including conservation easements for the purposes of providing environmental protection for surface waters and urban drinking water supplies; (7) the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act, authorized by NCGS § 139-1, et seq., which provides for the preservation of farm, forest and grazing lands; (8) the special use assessment of farm and forestland as set forth in NCGS § 105-277.2 et seq., which allows for lower property tax rates for land enrolled in active agricultural uses; (9) the Land Use Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan (adopted November 18, 2008)with its goal of"Land uses that are appropriate to on-site environmental conditions and features, and that protect natural resources, cultural resources, and community character."; (10) The Orange County Agricultural Development and Farmland Protection Plan, adopted November 17, 2009, which recommends that the County acquire agricultural conservation easements to help protect farmland as a valuable natural resources; and Page 3 of 18