Agenda - 06-08-2004-5u; VAD - Walters, Carl and Elizabeth renewal

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: .June 8, 2004 Action Agenda Item No. ,fj-u SUBJECT: Renewal of Voluntary Agricultural District -Carl and Elizabeth Walters DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Conservation ATTACHMENT 1) Renewal Applications (4) 2) Map of Existing VA District INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Tina Moon, 245-2583 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To approve the renewal of an existing Voluntary Agricultural District for Carl and Elizabeth Walters and Victor C, Walters, Sr, BACKGROUND: In 1992, Carl and Elizabeth Walters and Victor C. Walters, Sr. entered 424 acres of farmland (consisting of four contiguous parcels) on High Rock Road in the then-new County Voluntary Agricultural District program. Voluntary Agricultural (VA) Districts are 10-year voluntary agreements between the County and farm families to keep land in farm use. In the Walters' case, these VA districts also now contain conservation easements held by Orange County, acquired with local funds, an N,C. Farmland Preservation Trust Fund grant in 2000, and a grant from the USDA Farmland Protection Program in 2003, The Walters would like to continue to enroll this farm in the VA District as charter members of the program, In order to do so, the farm renewal must be approved by the Board of Commissioners and then recorded. The Walters' farm continues to meet all qualifying standards for the program, in addition to extra standards and provisions as part of the conservation easement. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. The VA District program is voluntary. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the renewal of the voluntary agricultural district for the Carl and Elizabeth Walters and Victor Walters farms.