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potential corn maze, animal petting area, and picnic tables. The McKees have operated a <br />similar farm with a corn maze for several years in Little River Township. <br />ERGD Staff and the County Attorney have worked with the McKees to prepare an easement <br />document that meets the family's needs and the County's interests. The easement also <br />conforms to federal guidelines pursuant to the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection <br />Program, which will also contribute funds to this project. <br />z <br />The MaKees will reserve two potential future residential lots (each 2 acres) outside of the <br />easement area, within the forested non-farmland portion of the property. The easement <br />would permanently protect the rest of the property for farm use. There are currently no <br />buildings or structures an the property. The McKees would be allowed to construct a new <br />residence and farm related buildings within a designated "farmstead area", Future farm <br />activities would need to be in accordance with a Conservation Plan prepared for this site by <br />the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District, The easement will also allow a future <br />section of the planned NC Mountains to Sea Trail to pass through the wooded portion of the <br />property, along Cane Creek, at such point as that trail exists. All other future non-agricultural <br />development rights would be extinguished through the easement, Easement monitoring will <br />be accomplished by ERCD staff on an annual basis, A copy of the draft easement is <br />attached. <br />A survey of the property is underway, which when completed may change the exact size of <br />the conservation easement property. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: An appraisal was conducted by Analytical Consultants to determine <br />the market value of the development rights that will be removed from the land. The purchase <br />price for the easement is estimated to be $600,000. The exact amount will depend on the <br />amount of land in the conservation easement and will be calculated by multiplying the <br />number of acres times $5,903 per acre. Including survey and other transaction costs, the <br />total cost of the project is approximately $612,000, with $273,161 of this amount to be <br />reimbursed by the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program. <br />The County's share of the cost (approximately $285,162) would come existing funds that are <br />part of the $3.0 million in alternative financing for conservation easements approved by the <br />Board of Commissioners in FY 2002-03, The Budget office will bring a Capital Project <br />Ordinance for this project forward in an upcoming budget amendment. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS: The Manager recommends that the Board: <br />1. Adopt the resolution approving the acceptance by Orange County of the conservation <br />easement and authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the conservation easement <br />agreement, subject to final review by staff and County Attorney, with a closing and <br />recordation of the document expected to occur by October 31, 2006, and <br />2, Authorize the County acceptance of a grant of $273,161 from the federal Farm and <br />Ranch Land Protection Program for the McKee conservation easement, <br />