Agenda 4-a - Voluntary and Enhanced Agricultural District Designation - Multiple Farms

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6) Owner Phillip Walker has submitted an application to enroll two (2) parcel of land totaling 72.1 ac. acres as qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program in the Caldwell Agricultural District. The farm operation includes livestock, pasture, hay, wheat, sorghum crops, and managed woodland. The farm property has been evaluated against each of the VAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above. 7) Owner Vernon Davis and Davis Properties of Chapel Hill, LLC have submitted to enroll seven (7) parcels of land totaling 158.56 acres of qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program in the White Cross Agricultural District. The farm operation includes livestock, pasture, hay crops, and managed woodland. The farm property has been evaluated against each of the VAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above. 8) Owners of Felicity Farms, Michael and Patricia Criscito, have submitted to enroll four (4) parcels of land totaling 259.71 acres of qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural District (14.0 acres) and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (245.71 acres) programs in the Caldwell Agricultural District. The farm operation includes livestock, pasture, hay crops, and managed woodland. The farm property has been evaluated against each of the VAD and EVAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. Voluntary Agricultural Districts are non-monetary and non-binding conservation agreements. Enhanced Voluntary Agriculture Districts are non-monetary and are binding 10-year conservation agreements. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. The Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program ordinance conserves, protects and encourages the preservation and improvement of agricultural land within the County boundaries as a critical component of the County's cultural and rural character and its economy by virtue of the production of food, fiber and other products. The purpose of this Ordinance is to reduce the loss of productive and existing farmland by promoting agricultural values and the general welfare of the County, recognize the existence of important farmlands by seeking to minimize risks of nuisance suits that arise from the onset of other land uses, encourage participation in voluntary programs to preserve and protect farmland from non-farm development and increase identity and awareness of the agricultural community, and its role in the economic and cultural quality of life for all County residents. (from the Orange County VAD program ordinance) RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board certify the eight (8) farm properties noted above totaling 591 acres* (VAD) and 302 acres* (EVAD); designate the properties as a Voluntary or Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District farm within the Caldwell, Cedar Grove, and White Cross Voluntary Agricultural Districts; and enroll the lands in the Orange County Farmland Preservation Program; Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD and EVAD) programs. 3