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ORANGE. COUNTY <br />ENVIRONMENT AND R ~SOURCE CONSERVATION D5PARTMENT <br />MEMORANDUM <br />To: Agricultural Preservation Board <br />From: Dave Stancil, ERC Director <br />Rich Shaw, Land Conservation Manager <br />Date: September 14, 2005 <br />Ci ihinrfi- i anrl. Leaacv Action Plan for FY 2006 -08 <br />Every two years our department works on developing a new "Action Plan" for the Lands <br />Legacy Program. The plan will identify natural and cultural areas that the County will work <br />on protecting through Lands Legacy during upcoming two fiscal years (FY 2006 -08). <br />As in previous years, the ERCD staff will work with advisory boards to identify projects to <br />include in the plan: Agricultural Preservation Board (prime farmland); Commission for the <br />Environment (natural areas /wildlife habitat, riparian buffers); Historic Preservation <br />Commission (cultural & archaeological); Recreation & Parks Advisory Council (parklands). <br />Input from the APB can be 'in the form of specific projects, general guidance or both. <br />Recommendations from the APB should be finalized by your November meeting so that a <br />draft Action Plan can be submitted to the BOCC for consideration at its Dec /Jan retreat. <br />Initial Thoughts for FY 2006 -08 <br />The following are key points for the APB to consider in making recommendations: <br />➢ Another 500 acres of farmland (on three farms) will be protected by conservation <br />easements by the end of 2005 or by early 2006, and four other farms are scheduled <br />to have lands put under easement in 2006. <br />➢ The County's funds that were used over the past three years to purchase <br />conservation easements (and to receive federal matching funds) has been depleted; <br />the remaining funds have been earmarked for seven farmland easements in process <br />➢ Parks and Open Space bond funds (approved 2001) are still available to acquire land <br />with natural (and cultural) resource significance through Lands Legacy Program; <br />those funds may not be used to acquire land or conservation easements where there <br />would be no public access allowed <br />During the first five years of the Lands Legacy Program, Orange County acquired 758 acres <br />for new county parkland and nature preserves, and protected another 820 acres of privately <br />r„,r,orl fnrm1nnr1 Anri nati iral lands with conservation easements. <br />Environment and Resource Conservation <br />PO Box 8181 / 306 -A Revere Road <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />(919) 245 -2590 <br />