Agenda - 06-02-2015 - 4b; VAD - Bowers, Bortz, Thompson, Vanhook, Summers, Teer

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 2, 2015 Action Agenda Item No. 4 -b SUBJECT: Voluntary and Enhanced Agricultural District Designation: Multiple Farms - Bowers, Bortz, Thompson, Vanhook (2), Summers, and Teer DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (Soil and Water Conservation) ATTACHMENT(S): 1) Current Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program Map with Enrolled and Proposed New VAD /EVAD Properties 2) Applications and Maps 1 PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No INFORMATION CONTACTS: David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2510 Gail M. Hughes, 919 - 245 -2753 Peter Sandbeck, 919 - 245 -2517 PURPOSE: To consider applications from multiple landowners /farms to certify qualifying farmland within the Cedar Grove, Caldwell, Cane Creek /Buckhorn, and White Cross Voluntary Agricultural Districts; and enroll the lands in the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) programs. BACKGROUND: Orange County's Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program was started in 1992. To date, 52 farms have enrolled in the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program, and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) program, totaling 7,144 acres within the seven districts comprising the non -urban portions of the County. The County's Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance (VFPO) outlines a procedure for the Agricultural Preservation Board to review and approve applications for qualifying farmland, and to make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners concerning the establishment and modification of agricultural districts. Section VII of the VFPO contains the requirements for inclusion in a voluntary agricultural district. To be certified as qualifying farmland, a farm must- 1 . Consist of the minimum number of contiguous acres to participate in the present - use -value taxation program (20 acres for forestry, 10 for agriculture and 5 for horticulture); 2. Be participating in the farm present- use -value taxation program established by N.C.G.S. §105 -277.2 through §105- 277.7, or is otherwise determined by the county to meet all the qualifications of this program set forth in G.S. 105 - 277.3;