Agenda - 08-31-2006-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CO For the period July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2008 Introduction The Lands Legacy Program was adopted by Orange County in April 2000. Administered by the Environment and Resource Conservation Department (ERCD), the program's mission is to help protect the county's most important natural and cultural resource lands before they are damaged or lost. to incompatible development activities. The program is guided by an Action Plan developed by ERCD and adopted by the Board of Commissioners. The first Action Plan was a one -year plan adopted in May 2001. The now biannual Action Plan guides Lands Legacy acquisitions and protection for the specified years. The process of developing the Action Plan begins with staff identifying potential projects and asking the Board for initial guidance. Staff then meets with advisory boards for their input on development of priorities for the upcoming years. Using the advisory board recommendations, a draft Plan is presented to the Board of Commissioners for their consideration and input. The Action Plan is finalized in conjunction with the CIP process. The following is an Action Plan for the fiscal years 2006 -2008. The plan incorporates comments from four advisory boards, coupled with the continuation and completion of goals and objectives from the previous action plan. The Action Plan contains goals, a summary of advisory board comments, specific action objectives, and a priority list of land acquisition and protection projects for the coming two years. Also attached is a brief Performance Table for the first six years of the Lands Legacy Program (2000- 2006). (Note: Plans to continue to pursue grant funding for County projects are implicit.) 1. Upper Eno and Upper New Hope Riparian Buffers: Continue to protect riparian buffers in the Upper Eno River watershed critical area (including additions to Seven Mile Creek Preserve) and the Upper New Hope Creek watershed. 2. Faucette's Mill and Hall's Mill Historic Areas: Continue efforts to acquire conservation easements that would protect properties with historic structures and archaeological sites in the Faucette's Mill and Hall's Mill areas. 3. Agricultural Conservation Easements: Continue working with willing sellers (and partner entities) to acquire agricultural conservation easements in priority watersheds with assistance from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program. 4. Bingham Township Park: Identify locations for potential land acquisition to establish a new community park in the White Cross area (Bingham Township) —the last remaining park identified in the 1988 Master Recreation and Parks Plan. 5. Natural Areas and Prime Forests: Protect the highest priority natural areas and prime forests identified in the Orange County Inventory of Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitat (2004 update) and the Landscape with Wildlife reports (1997 -99). Begin to structure these areas within a framework of nature preserves, where possible.