Agenda - 09-12-2006-6c - Laserfiche WebLink

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t4lcKee Agricultural Consen~atiou Easement Draft #4 (BOCC) Property generally southward to the Cane Creels Reservoir, a water supply reservoir for the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill. The entire property is within the Cane Creels Protected Watershed,. Furthermore, the Property contains notable scenic qualities that can be enjoyed by the general public, namely the views along Bradshaw Quarry Road (State Road 1115) and along a future North Carolina Mountains to Sea trail corridor along Cane Creek, It is a secondary purpose of this Conservation Easement to protect these natural and scenic and recreational resources.. The agricultural resources, including flee protection of soils, and natural, wildlife habitat, and scenic and recreational resources of the Property to be preserved by this Conservation Easement are collectively referred to as the "conservation values" of the Property. The specific conservation values of the Property and its current use and state of improvement are described in a Baseline Report prepared by the Grantee with the cooperation of the Grantors, and acknowledged by both parties to be accurate as of the date of this Conservation Easement. This Report maybe used by the Grantee to document any future changes in the use or character of the Property in order to ensure the terms and conditions of this Conservation Easement are fulfilled. This Report, however, is not intended to preclude the use of other evidence to establish the present condition of the Property if there is a controversy over its use.. The Grantors and Grantee have copies of this Report, and said report will remain on file at the office of the Orange County Environment and Resource Conservation Department. The Grantors and Grantee agree that the current agricultural use of, and improvements to, the Property are consistent with the conservation purposes of this Conservation Easement. The Grantors intend that the conservation values of the Property be preserved and maintained, and further, Grantors intend to convey to Grantee the right to preserve and protect the agricultural and other conservation values of the Property in perpetuity. The conservation purposes of this Conservation Easement are recognized by, and the grant of this Conservation Easement will serve, the Following cleazly delineated goverrunental conservation policies: (1) Sections 12.38 H and 1238 I of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, which authorizes the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, administered tluough the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, which provides funds for the acquisition of Conservation Easements or other interests in prime, unique, or other productive soils for the purpose of limiting conversion to nonagricultural uses of the land; (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 ofNorth 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;" Page 2 of 18