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19 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 WHEREAS, Kimberly Woods, the owner of the Spring Crest Farm property, wishes to grant a <br /> 3 permanent conservation easement to Orange County, which will protect the prime farmland and <br /> 4 riparian corridors that exist on the property; and <br /> 5 <br /> 6 WHEREAS, a conservation easement on this approximately 70 acres would ensure the <br /> 7 preservation of this farmland and stream buffers for future generations and help compensate the <br /> 8 owner for this long-term commitment; <br /> 9 <br /> 10 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners does <br /> 11 hereby 1) accept on behalf of Orange County the conservation easement for land owned by <br /> 12 Kimberly Woods; 2) approve the execution of this conservation easement agreement with <br /> 13 Kimberly Woods, in accordance with the terms of the proposed easement agreement, subject to <br /> 14 final review by staff and the County Attorney; 3) authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the <br /> 15 easement agreement on behalf of the Board, with a closing to occur on or about September 30, <br /> 16 2019; and 4) authorize County staff to sign any and all closing documents upon consultation <br /> 17 with the County Attorney. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board thanks Kimberly Woods for her civic-minded <br /> 20 granting of this conservation easement through the Lands Legacy Program. <br /> 21 <br /> 22 This the 4th day of June, 2019. <br /> 23 <br /> 24 f. Resolution of Approval — Conservation Easement on Holden-Roberts Farm and <br /> 25 Approval of Budget Amendment#10-C <br /> 26 <br /> 27 The Board considered voting on a resolution to approve the purchase of and acceptance by <br /> 28 Orange County of an agricultural conservation easement for Holden-Roberts Farm, and approve <br /> 29 Budget Amendment#10-C and authorize the Chair to sign. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 BACKGROUND: The acquisition of conservation easements to protect highly important natural <br /> 32 and cultural resource lands in Orange County is a longstanding goal of the Board of <br /> 33 Commissioners, and is a priority of the Lands Legacy program. Since 2001, the County has <br /> 34 partnered with landowners and other entities to protect 2,647 acres of significant natural areas <br /> 35 and prime farmland with permanent conservation easements, leveraging over$3 million in <br /> 36 outside funding and grants toward these easements. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 Over the past several years, DEAPR has worked with Nels and Nancy Anderson on a project to <br /> 39 conserve approximately 57 acres of Holden-Roberts Farm located on St. Mary's Road in Eno <br /> 40 Township. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 The farm property is located in the Lower Eno Protected Watershed, a priority watershed for <br /> 43 acquiring agricultural easements in a dual effort to protect prime farmland and drinking water <br /> 44 quality. The farm has over 2,500 feet of stream frontage on tributaries to Buckwater Creek, a <br /> 45 major tributary of the Eno River, which supply drinking water for the City of Raleigh. The <br /> 46 Andersons intend to grant a permanent conservation easement that will restrict future <br /> 47 development to protect prime farmland and streams, as well as scenic views of the farmland <br /> 48 from St. Mary's Road. All non-agricultural development rights will be extinguished through the <br /> 49 conservation easement. Future farm activities will be in accordance with a Conservation Plan <br /> 50 prepared for this farm by the Orange Soil & Water Conservation District. <br /> 51 <br />