Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
6 <br /> <br />Chair Dorosin said he knows challenges may exist, but co-location is being discussed <br />in other contexts, and it seems wise to consider it here as well, as the high schools and County <br />facilities already exist. He said it is important to be creative. <br />Travis Myren resumed the CIP presentation: <br /> <br />FY2018-19 Recommended CIP Expenditures County Projects: $28.5 million total - chart <br /> <br />• Conservation Easements - $500,000 County share (page 60) <br />Project Description/Justification: The Conservation Easement component of the Lands Legacy <br />program was initially funded in July 2002, and provides matching funds for State and federal <br />grants to acquire conservation easements to conserve prime or threatened farmland, sensitive <br />natural areas, or important water quality buffer lands in keeping with Board goals and Lands <br />Legacy priorities. These lands have conservation values or agricultural operations to be <br />enhanced and protected, and the land stays in private ownership and is not publicly-accessible <br />except upon landowner consent. Over 2,100 acres of prime farmland and natural areas have <br />been conserved to date, with millions of dollars in state/federal grants leveraged. It is <br />anticipated that additional matching funds of approximately 50% would again be leveraged for <br />easements, shown as Grant Funding and Landowner Donations. <br /> <br />FY2018-23 Recommended CIP Continuation Projects <br />• Conservation Easements - $500,000 County (p. 60) <br />o Component of Lands Legacy Program <br /> Protects threatened farmland from development <br /> Protects sensitive natural areas <br /> Protects water quality buffer lands <br />o CIP authorizes $1 million every other year <br />o County costs offset by $500,000 in State/Federal Grants <br />o 10 active projects underway <br />o $45,000 remaining in Conservation Easement Program <br />o $500,000 included in Spring 2018 financing package <br /> <br />Conservation Easement Map <br />Lands Legacy Program Acquisitions 2000-2017 <br /> <br />• Land remains in private ownership <br />• Over 2,100 acres conserved to date <br />• Over $3 million leveraged in grant funding and donations <br /> <br />Commissioner Price asked if Lands Legacy can be used for any of these conservation <br />easements. <br />David Stancil, Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) <br />Director, said historically there have been two pots of money. He said the monies from the <br />1997 and 2001 bonds could not be used for publically accessible lands, and conservations <br />easements typically are not, and this was the origin of the separation of the two funding <br />sources. He said because the conservation easement fund is down to $45,000, staff has been <br />able to go to the Lands Legacy fund, which has existing money, but also has a lot of upcoming <br />potential obligations. He said staff has tapped into the conservation easement monies a bit, <br />but there are some large ticket items in the works, and this would not be sustainable going <br />forward. He said there are approximately 32 property owners who have expressed interest in <br />doing conservation easements with the County.