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ST'EPHENH.HALR7077S, CHAIR ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BARRYJA COBS. VICE CHAIR MARGARET W. BROWN POST OFFICE BOX 8181 MOSES CAREY, JR. ALICE M. GORDON 200 SOUTH CAMERON STREET HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 December 4, 2000 Mr. Charles E. Roe, Executive Director Conservation Trust for North Carolina PO Box 33333 Raleigh, NC 27636 -3333 Dear Chuck: � °uotp of VIA 4 �aco`\� Please find attached an application from Orange County for funding assistance toward the purchase of a farmland conservation easement. As you may know, Orange County has been very interested in farmland preservation for a number of years, having adopted a Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance in 1992. As of this year, 1,355 acres of farmland in the County is enrolled in Voluntary Agricultural Districts (including the attached easement proposal). A conservation easement between Maple View Farms and Triangle Land Conservancy was among the first agricultural easements in the State. However, this would be the County's first farmland conservation easement, developed through our Lands Legacy program Victor C. Walters, Sr. is 92 years old and has been a farmer in Orange County since 1942. His farm has been enrolled in the County's Voluntary Agricultural Districts program since 1992, and contains prime farmland in Cedar Grove Township, one of the County's largest agricultural areas. Since 1942, this farm has been one of many dairies in Orange County, and the 70 -acre parcel proposed for easement is actively used for grazing of dairy and beef cattle by Carl and Elizabeth Walters, Mr. Walters son and daughter -in -law. Mr. Walters has signed a letter of intent to sell the non - agricultural development rights on his property to Orange County. The easement would be held by Orange County through the Lands Legacy program, until a Memorandum of Agreement between the County and the Orange Soil and Water District for monitoring is finalized (a draft is being prepared at this time). A letter of support for this application from the Soil and Water District is attached. The grant application requests $107,000 from the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to match $108,000 of Orange County funds (a 51 % match) toward this initial farmland conservation easement. The County's Lands Legacy program, adopted in April of this year, has farmland conservation easements as a priority for this and future years. It is anticipated that this initial easement purchase will, *in conjunction with a publicity campaign, heighten awareness of conservation easements as a tool to help keep farmers farming. It is our understanding that these goals are also at the heart of the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund program purposes. The Walters farm contains significant prime soils for agriculture, as evaluated by the Orange Soil and Water District. Finally, we would note that the Walters farm is in the Back Creek water supply watershed (a Class WS -II water supply). Mr. Walters, who was Orange County's Conservation YOU COUNT IN ORANGE COUNTY (919) 245 -2130 • PAX (919) 644 -0246