Agenda - 02-15-2005-10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Historic Blackwood Farm -Interim Stewa.rds)tip Plan (DRAFT) 1. Introduction A. Lands Leaacv Program The Lands Legacy Program was adopted by Orange County in April 2000. The purpose of the program is to protect lands that contain the County's most important natural and cultural areas. Land protection is accomplished through voluntary means, including fee- simple acquisition and the use of conservation easements. Lands Legacy is administered by the Environment and Resource Conservation Depaztment (ERCD). ERCD often collaborates with other land conservation partners to protect lands of mutual interest. Partners include other County departments, other local governments, land trusts, universities, and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, Lands Legacy acquisitions are guided by an Action Plan, which is adopted by the Board of Commissioners every two years, The types of land protected through the program include parkland, natural azeas and wildlife habitat, riparian buffers (in water supply watersheds), prime farmland, and historic and cultural sites. As of December 2004, Orange County (through Lands Legacy) had acquired 757 acres for new county pazkland and nature preserves, and protected another 648 acres of private farmland and natural lands with conservation easements. B. Overview of Pazk Acquisition and Design Process Far parkland acquisitions ERCD identifies and evaluates potential sites using criteria adopted by the Board of Commissioners, ERCD also coordinates with the Recreation and Pazks Director on parkland acquisitions, Once a park property is acquired, ERCD oversees site stewardship, including posting of boundazies, controlling access, site clean up, and grounds maintenance -until such time as a Master Plan is completed for the park. ERCD staff coordinates development of park master plans, with assistance from Recreation & Parks (R&P), Planning & Inspections, and others as needed. In most cases, the Board of Commissioners convenes a committee to develop a pazk master plan. Following Board adoption of the master plan, the more detailed site design (e,g,, construction drawings, infrastructure plans) is handled,jointly by ERCD and R&P in close coordination with Planning Department. Once the Master Plan is done, park construction, oversight and management is normally handled by the R&P with assistance from ERCD and other departments as needed. Once construction is completed, R&P is takes over the park operation, maintenance and land stewazdship. ERCD assists in the stewardship of any sensitive natural areas located on park property, ERCD also assists in the stewardship of cultural resources, and may offer input on the stabilization, renovation, and long-term maintenance of existing buildings on park properties as needed.