Orange County NC Website
6 <br />1 <br />the Orange County Farmland Preservation Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br />2 <br />District programs. <br />3 <br />Gail Hughes, Soil Conservationist, made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br />4 <br />5 <br />Orange County Voluntary <br />6 <br />Farmland Preservation Program <br />7 <br />Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary <br />8 <br />Agricultural District Program <br />9 <br />Orange County Board of Commissions Meeting <br />10 <br />December 4, 2017 <br />11 <br />12 <br />Orange CountyVAD/EVAD Program <br />13 <br />Benefits of Agricultural Districts <br />14 <br />15 <br />Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) <br />is a 10 year commitment for farm tobe in active <br />16 <br />farm production, but the landowner can withdraw from the VAD at any time, for any <br />17 <br />reason, with a 30 day notification to the Agri. Preservation Board. <br />18 <br />Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) <br />is an irrevocable 10 year <br />19 <br />commitment to be in active farm production, therefore the “enhanced” qualifies farm for <br />20 <br />up to 90% cost share rates and a priority for state and federal grants funds. <br />21 <br />22 <br />Benefits include: <br />(listing a few) <br />23 <br />Makes public more aware of the local agricultural and its vital role in the economics of <br />24 <br />the county; <br />25 <br />Recorded notice of agricultural district property is recorded at County Land Records <br />26 <br />office; <br />27 <br />Land search on all properties within a ½ mile radius has notification of the agricultural <br />28 <br />status, therefore, the agricultural landowner has increased protection from nuisance <br />29 <br />lawsuits. <br />30 <br />Agricultural Preservation Board can request public hearings for proposed condemnation <br />31 <br />of VAD land and utility assessments may be suspended or waived on EVAD land if not <br />32 <br />connected to the utility. <br />33 <br />Farm may receive up to 25% of gross sales from the sale of non-farm products and still <br />34 <br />maintain its zoning exemption as a bonafide farm. (EVAD only) <br />35 <br />VAD District signs are placed on farms, for public to know location of VAD/EVAD farms <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />Yvonne Crabtree and Gary Crabtree -Crabtree Farm <br />39 <br />•VAD –156.51 acres –Cedar Grove Agricultural District; 2 parcels of land <br />40 <br />•Grain and hay crops, pastureland, beef cattle, <br />41 <br />•Managed woodland <br />42 <br />43 <br />Mike and Shelia Hall, and Howard Hall –Hall Farm, Inc. <br />44 <br />•VAD –156.35 acres –Caldwell Agricultural District; 3 parcels of land <br />45 <br />•Tobacco, soybeans, grain crops, hay land <br />46 <br />•Managed woodland <br />47 <br />48 <br />Ken Dawson andElizabeth Outlaw-Maple Spring Gardens <br />49 <br />•VAD –80.04 acres-Cedar Grove Agricultural District; 2 parcels of land <br />50 <br />•Fruit and vegetable crops, herbs, and flowers <br /> <br />