Orange County NC Website
Page 12 of 19 <br />breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, agreements contained in this Conservation <br />Easement Deed, or violations of any Federal, State, or local laws, including all Environmental <br />Laws. <br />18. Enforcement <br />With reasonable advance notice to the Grantor or with the Grantor’s prior verbal consent, <br />Grantees shall have the right to enter the Protected Property for the purpose of inspecting for <br />compliance with the terms of this Conservation Easement. Grantees shall have the right to <br />prevent violations and remedy violations of the terms of this Conservation Easement through <br />judicial action, which shall include, without limitation, the right to bring proceedings in law or in <br />equity against any party or parties attempting to violate the terms of this Conservation Easement. <br />Except when an ongoing or imminent violation could irreversibly diminish or impair the <br />Conservation Values of the Protected Property, Grantees shall give the Grantor written notice of <br />the violation and thirty (30) days to cure the violation, before commencing any legal <br />proceedings. Grantees may obtain an injunction to stop a violation or a threatened violation, <br />temporarily or permanently. The parties agree that a court may issue an injunction or order <br />requiring Grantor to restore the Protected Property to its condition prior to the violation, as <br />restoration of the property may be the only appropriate remedy. In any case where a court finds <br />that a violation has occurred, Grantor shall reimburse Grantees for all its expenses incurred in <br />stopping and correcting the violation, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys' fees. The <br />failure of the Grantees to discover a violation or to take immediate legal action shall not bar it <br />from doing so at a later time for that violation or any subsequent violations. In any case where <br />the court finds that there was a complete absence of a justiciable issue of either law or fact raised <br />by the losing party, the court may award a reasonable attorney’s fee to the prevailing party as <br />provided by applicable law. <br />19. Transfer of Conservation Easement <br />The Grantees shall have the right to transfer, assign, convey, or otherwise to co-hold the <br />Conservation Easement created by this Deed to any public agency or private nonprofit <br />organization that, at the time of transfer, is a qualified organization under Section 170(h) of the <br />U.S. Internal Revenue Code, as amended and under NCGS 121-34 et seq., provided the agency <br />or organization expressly agrees to assume the responsibility imposed on the Grantees by this <br />Deed. If Grantees ever cease to exist or no longer qualify under Section 170(h) of the U.S. <br />Internal Revenue Code, or applicable state law, a court with jurisdiction shall transfer this <br />Conservation Easement to another qualified organization having similar purposes that agrees to <br />assume the responsibility imposed by this Conservation Easement. <br />20. Transfer of Property <br />The Grantor agrees to incorporate by reference the terms of this Conservation Easement <br />in any deed or other legal instrument by which they transfer or divest themselves of any interests, <br />including leasehold interests, in all or a portion of the Protected Property. Grantor shall notify <br />the Grantees in writing at least thirty (30) days before conveying the Protected Property, or any <br />part thereof or interest therein. Failure of Grantor to incorporate by reference the terms of this <br />Conservation Easement in an instrument of transfer or conveyance or to notify the Grantees of a <br />18