APB agenda 091703 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ITEM #4b: Agricultural Center— Previous Ideas, New Concepts Previously the APB had been asked to focus on a plan for agricultural center that could be used for presentation at a work session in late August or early September to the other county commissioners to keep the vision alive. Fletcher Barber provided a brief overview of the events surrounding the previous agricultural center proposal in the late 1980s. Members reviewed previous proposal and considered several issues in a brainstorming session including: ➢ Have needs changed? ➢ What are future agricultural needs? ➢ Is there a need to be adjacent to schools and to get the EMS Center involved / community interface ➢ Is there still a need for a livestock market? Put the $50,000 toward the Ag Center ➢ Mars Hill area site fell thru ➢ Government buildings need to be near the main population center ➢ Too many users /activities in one bundle vs the more uses the more justification ➢ "Combine livestock center with large meeting room — seasonal uses — possible ➢ Use for multipurpose ➢ Livestock facility vs. auctioning facility (new Oxford facility underutilized) ➢ The need for certified scales ➢ Pool farmers for livestock, instead of auction. Beef cattle, Horses, goats, etc. ➢ Keep livestock market simple ➢ Is there a farmer who could lease farm /bldgs? i.e., Orange Grove ➢ Jr. livestock show major livestock event in Orange County ➢ Extension / Ag agencies need to be close to the seat of government ➢ Central location for all Ag. Agencies? Blackwood Farm? North of Hillsborough ➢ Omit possible locations for now and concentrate on use needs: 1- livestock 2- Farmers Mkt. 3 -Home Horticulture 4 -Youth activities 5 -Ag offices. ➢ Focus on the process ➢ Hire consultant to evaluate mix/match? ➢ Blackwood Farm — priority location ➢ Approach using empirical data — Focus on "Why do we need an Ag. Center ?" ➢ Start with the square foot needs for the office space, and building needs and go from there ➢ Other uses /parking — Green & Growing preservation focus ➢ Stakeholders: CRS, ERCD, S &W, FSA, FmHA ➢ Orange /Caswell /Person, Regional Multi- county uses/ Golden leaf application ➢ Resolution from APB draft for Sept meeting (Staff to do) ➢ Run by: NRCS /S &W, CRS, EDC, ERCD, FSA/FmHA APB members decided to prepare a resolution for the BOCC's Oct. 27th work session addressing the $50,000, their vision for an Ag Center, and an explanation on why an Ag Center is still needed - -why it's still relevant in the county. Members discussed other items including the creation of an agricultural preservation element, and the need for a response from the BOCC on their first memo regarding an ag element, and recommended tools for the Land Use Element. Bogue described a forthcoming program, "Grassland Reserve program" from NC Soil & Water Conservation.