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r Pursue a Transfer of Development program with the Planning e Department. • Ensure that the APB has the opportunity to review development proposals within a one -mile radius from a VAD and have input into substantial land use planning policy and regulation changes. Stancil suggested that the group think about important topics for focus on, possibly drafting a straw proposal on acreage limitations and, having changes finalized in a couple months. Additional Agenda Item Gordon Warren introduced himself as retired federal employee, renovating a farm, in Eno Township, for beef cattle production that has been in his family for about fifty years. He said that this group represents the agricultural interests before the Board of County Commissioners, and currently it's power base is small. This representation could become larger if more farms participated in the VAD program. Since its inception in 1992 approximately 1700 acres have been protected through the Orange County VAD program. He reported that Alamance County's VAD program went into effect in November and already have 1700 acres enrolled and a backlog to be processed. He shared copies of the VAD programs from surrounding entities including Durham, Alamance, Chatham, and reported on Caswell and Person Counties progress. He requested that the minimum qualifying acreage be reduced to a number that will allow smaller farming operations less than 50 acres to be represented by the APB. He noted that in Alamance County if you qualify for land use value program, you automatically qualify to be a VAD: farms including 5 acres for horticultural, 10 acres for agricultural or 20 acres for forestry . Durham as well as Chatham counties have a 20 -acre minimum, however if two farms are within one mile of each other they can be combined to get the twenty acres. Alamance County also uses a `Right to Farm' approach as farmers are pressured by developments to alert potential homeowners that farms produce noises, lights, dusts, odors and. Orange County farmers need that kind of protection, particularly the small farm operationers. The APB discussed ideas and examples of notification for new neighbors and new subdivisions of existing farms and farm operations. Other discussions included comments about how the quality of life for the rural community is different from other folks, protection of agricultural districts, protection of farming practices whether it be swine or timbering and, the importance of communication between farmers and neighbors. Everyone thanked Mr. Warren for his efforts and comments of the evening. Kleese reported that the Carolina Farm Tours is scheduled for April 20 -21 from 1 -5 p.m. and that notices would be sent. Stancil said that staff could look at what other counties have done for VAD programs, the new model ordinance, and some other benefits that could be provided in terms of notification for nuisance suits. He noted that currently we have a little flag that goes up on the lands records systems but that doesn't get into the level of detail that Alamance County does. Staff could also investigate