Agenda - 03-31-2005-4 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 31, 2005 Action Age ~ a Item No. SUBJECT: Application for Grant from the Federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program for Agricultural Conservation Easements DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No Conservation ATTACHMENT Request far Proposals INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Rich Shaw, 245-2591 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To authorize staff to submit a grant application to the US Department of Agriculture's Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program for the purchase of farmland preservation conservation easements in Orange County, in an amount to be determined not to exceed $800,000. BACKGROUND: The acgtaisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve prime farmland is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners, and is a priority of the Lands Legacy Program, Orange County's first agricultural conservation easement was acquired in 2001, To date, Orange County has protected 774 acres of prime farmland and stream corridors through its Lands Legacy Program. In 2002, Orange County was awarded $784,000 of the $2,1 million available in North Carolina from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP), Those funds were used to match County finds to purchase conservation easements on three farms (412 acres). In 2004 Orange County was awarded another $638,840 - 28% of North Carolina's FRPP allocation, Those funds are being used to protect another 500 acres on three farms, Far 2005, the federal Farm Bill will provide just over $3 million for similar projects in North Carolina, Because Orange County has already allocated funds for farmland protection and has identified several good candidates, the County stands a fairly good chance of receiving matching grant funds, The deadline for submitting proposals is April 4, 2005