Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />RESOLUTION <br />Approval of Agricultural and Watershed Protection Conservation Easement <br />Between <br />Orange County, Orange Water & Sewer Authority, and William McPherson <br />WHEREAS, Orange County has an adopted goal promoting the preservation of farmland in <br />the County; and <br />WHEREAS, agriculture in Orange County is an important facet of the economy and way of <br />life in the County; and <br />WHEREAS, one component of the Lands Legacy Program is the acquisition of conservation <br />easements on prime or threatened farmland within water supply watersheds; and <br />WHEREAS, the McPherson farm includes 46.54 acres in the Cane Creek protected <br />watershed, consists of a majority of prime soils, and is located in an agricultural community <br />with access to farm markets; and <br />WHEREAS, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) has agreed to collaborate on <br />the joint acquisition of a conservation easement that will protect the prime farmland and <br />riparian corridors that exist on the McPherson farm with a conservation easement; and <br />WHEREAS, a conservation easement on this entire farm provides awin-win scenario - <br />ensuring the preservation of this farmland far future generations and providing return on the <br />property far the McPherson family; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />does hereby 1) agree to accept on behalf of Orange County the agricultural conservation <br />easement to protect prime farmland owned by William McPherson, Jr. and his son William <br />McPherson III; 2) approve the execution of the Offer to Purchase and Contract of Sale and <br />the Deed of Agricultural Conservation Easement with the McPhersons, in accordance with <br />the terms of the proposed Offer to Purchase and Contract of Sale and the Deed of <br />Agricultural Conservation Easement, the final form and terms of which to be approved by <br />ERCD staff and the County Attorney; and 3) authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the <br />Offer to Purchase and Contract of Sale and the Deed of Agricultural Conservation Easement <br />on behalf of the Board, with a closing to occur on or before December 31, 2004. <br />This the 5th day of October, 2004. <br />Barry Jacobs, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board <br />