Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
03 <br />ITEM #5. ITEMS FOR DECISION <br />a. Lands Legacy Annual Action Plan 2002 -2003 <br />Stancil noted that it is time to begin the process of developing next year's 2002- <br />2003 Annual Action Plan for the Lands Legacy program. The Board of County <br />Commissioners will be using this information at their December work session in <br />preparing for budget requests. The APB will need to finalize their <br />recommendations for farmland conservation easements and any <br />recommendations on priorities at the November meeting. The action plan for <br />this year says that we will pursue one conservation easement on a farm in a <br />water supply watershed - -Cane Creek, Back Creek, or Upper Eno. <br />Stancil reported that one of the biggest events for farmland preservation in <br />Orange County occurred on August 30, 2001, when the BOCC unanimously <br />adopted a Resolution of Intent to provide funding for conservation lands without <br />public access. The resolution allows the BOCC, to agree to borrow 3 million in <br />private placement funds to go towards non - public access conservation <br />easements, during the extent of the bond referendum four -year period. This will <br />change the County's Lands Legacy policy of aggressively pursuing matching <br />funds but ensures that preservation efforts will not grind to a halt if funds are not <br />available in the short -term. <br />Stancil reviewed the Key Points Lands Legacy Farmland Preservation Projects <br />2002 -2003 handout. <br />• Funding will come from $3 million in private placement funds (low -rate loans <br />available for certain projects based on the County's top -notch bond rating). <br />Funds to be available over four years 2002 -2006. <br />• Seven farmers have expressed interest in selling development rights. Five <br />are in identified protected watersheds. (one of these may be pursued in the <br />current 2001 -2002 Annual Action Plan for a conservation easement. <br />• NC Farmland preservation Trust Fund — unknown funding level for 2002. <br />Possibly only funding transaction costs in 2001 -02. Pursue if available. <br />• Leverage Clean Water management Trust Fund grants instead (for portions <br />of farms along perennial streams in watersheds). <br />• Federal funds from USDA or Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). <br />Stancil noted that the following general course of action is given each year for <br />the APB prior to November recommendations. <br />Draft September 19, 2001 <br />