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07 <br />DRAFT MINUTES <br />Meeting of the <br />AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION BOARD <br />September 27, 2000 <br />PRESENT: APB: Whit Morrow, Nancy Goodwin, Tony Kleese, Marty Mandell, Noah <br />Ranells, Rodney Recor, Elizabeth Walters, Louise Tate, David Stancil, <br />Tina Moon, Carol Crawford. <br />GUESTS: Commissioner Barry Jacobs <br />ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER <br />Stancil reported that upon Matheny's resignation and in absence of Vice - <br />Chair Strayhorn due to Farm Bureau business, In the interim Vice Chair <br />has asked Morrow to chair the meeting. Morrow called the meeting was <br />called to order at 7:30 p.m. <br />Morrow thanked Jacobs for attending and extended courtesy of having <br />comments before proceeding with the agenda items. Commissioner <br />Jacobs thanked the APB for their efforts and gave an update on the Smart <br />Growth Commission set up by the state legislature empowered for a year, <br />broken into four work groups: Transportation, Downtown community <br />revitalization, Regional partnerships and, Farm & open space <br />preservation. Meetings have occurred all over the state since January with <br />recommendations due to legislature by Jan/Feb 2001. <br />Jacobs listed the group principles to date including: state has obligation to <br />protect natural resources, state must insure the viability of its conservation <br />programs, educate public on benefits of open space and farms, respect <br />private property rights, strengthen and development voluntary incentives <br />to conserve farms, forest and open space, provide tools for flexibility for <br />control in local government, keep farmers working, support long term <br />economic viability and farms equal open space, strengthen the present use <br />value system, should increase participation in voluntary agriculture <br />districts, encourage partnerships between state and local government, <br />private organizations and individuals in land trusts, protect sensitive <br />natural areas on lands owned by public colleges and universities, support <br />the million acre initiative, provide basic mapping data on prime threatened <br />and environmentally or culturally important farmland, flood plains and <br />natural areas, and that hazard mitigation and open space are inter - linked. <br />The group has stressed that when state programs are put into place they <br />should be whenever possible voluntary incentive based and locally <br />controlled. Jacobs asked for comments from the APB. Morrow asked <br />what is expected to happen after the recommendations. Jacobs explained <br />