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i� EASEMENT FROM PAGE 1 state Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to cover half the cost, while the county would provide about $108,000 in matching funds. The General Assembly allocated about $1.5 million this year for the farmland Preservation fund, through the N.C. Department of Agriculture. The nonprofit Conservation 'Trust for North Carolina administers the fund through an agreement with the Department of Agriculture. The `'alters easement would be the first purchased by Orange Coun- ty, and it would serve as a pilot pro- Jett for the county's Lands Legacy program, Stancil said. "We're very hopeful this will be the first of a series of conservation easements," he said. The commissioners approved Uuids Legacy earlier this year, with a goa] of identifying lands for possi- ble parks and open -space protection. Officials have emphasized the pro- gram is strictly voluntary. Walters has signed a letter of intent with the county — one of the steps required in the Farmland Preservation application process. The parties still have to negotiate Final terms in the deal, but the ease- ment likely would allow agriculture uses to continue on the 70 acres, while uses like residential develop - :uent would be prohibited, in perpe- tuity, Stancil said. In such easement agreements, the landowner keeps ownership and can sell the. property, but the easement restrictions remain with the proper - t V. Walters said it's his understanding that up to three dwelling units would be allowed on the 70 -acre tract as part of the agreement. The tract includes open fields and woodlands, and it slopes from High Rock Road down to a farm pond that Walters built in the 1950s. The 70 acres is part of Walters' 113 -acre farm. His son, Carl Walters, a former dairy farmer for nearly three decades, raises beef cattle and uses the 70 acres partly as pasture- land. Carl and Elizabeth Walters live on an adjacent farm, and Victor Wal- ters' two daughters have property nearby as well. Walters said Carl and Elizabeth Walters have worked with the coun- ty a great deal on the possible con- servation easement. Elizabeth Wal- ters is a longtime member of the Orange County Agricultural Preser- vation Board. The 70 acres, plus about 200 acres on Carl and Elizabeth Walters' farm, are listed in the county's Voluntary Agricultural District program. As for Victor Walters, he was born in Orange County near the Caldwell community, and he bought the High Rock Road property nearly 60 years ago, after he and Lucille were mar- ried. He's raised crops from tobacco to corn to barley, as well as beef cattle. He sold off his last head of cattle about 10 years ago. In 1953, Walters was named the county's Conservation Farmer of the Year, for efforts like controlling ero- sion on his farm. A good deal of open farmland remains in the general vicinity of the Walters property, although residen- tial growth clearly is there as well. According to the county's grant application, permits were approved for 26 new single- family dwellings within one mile of the property in the last three years. And if you extend the distance from the farm to one to two miles, the number of permits is higher than 200 in the last three years. A devel- opment with 300 units is proposed for property three miles from the Walters farm, according to the appli- cation. The plan is for the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District to even- tually take over administration of the Walters easement. In the first official transaction in the Lands Legacy program this year, the county purchased a 63 -acre wooded tract west of Hillsborough, formerly part of Duke Forest. The county currently is working on plans for the "McGowan Creek Preserve" on that property, which would have limited public access. Orange County received a $143,000 grant from the state Clean Water Management Trust Fund to buy the property, and the county paid another $137,000. As the county was working toward approving Lands Legacy, it also agreed to buy a 391 -acre site in part- nership with Durham County. The property is on both sides of the county line along Guess Road, and the counties now are working together on plans for the "Little River Regional Park" on the proper- ty. The counties received two state grants totaling about $677,000 for purchasing that property. The Trian- gle Land Conservancy and the Eno River Association are raising anoth- er $170,000 for the purchase, while Orange and Durham are chipping in $88,000 and $163,000, respectively.