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3 <br /> and managed woodland. The farm property has been evaluated against each of the VAD <br /> certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above; and <br /> 7) Owners Annette and Mark McClish have submitted an application to enroll one (1) parcel of <br /> land totaling 14.1 acres as qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) <br /> program in the Cedar Grove Agricultural District. The farm operation includes goats, <br /> heritage turkeys and chickens, pasture, and hay crops. The farm property has been <br /> evaluated against each of the VAD certification requirement standards and meets or <br /> exceeds all of the measures above. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. Voluntary Agricultural <br /> Districts are non-monetary and non-binding conservation agreements. Enhanced Voluntary <br /> Agriculture Districts are non-monetary and are binding 10-year conservation agreements. <br /> SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to <br /> this item: <br /> • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY <br /> The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary <br /> for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their <br /> dependents. <br /> The Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program ordinance conserves, protects and <br /> encourages the preservation and improvement of agricultural land within the County boundaries <br /> as a critical component of the County's cultural and rural character and its economy by virtue of <br /> the production of food, fiber and other products. The purpose of the Ordinance is to reduce the <br /> loss of productive and existing farmland by promoting agricultural values and the general <br /> welfare of the County, recognize the existence of important farmlands by seeking to minimize <br /> risks of nuisance suits that arise from the onset of other land uses, encourage participation in <br /> voluntary programs to preserve and protect farmland from non-farm development and increase <br /> identity and awareness of the agricultural community, and its role in the economic and cultural <br /> quality of life for all County residents. (From the Orange County Farmland Preservation/VAD <br /> program ordinance) <br /> ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: The following Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal <br /> impacts are applicable to this item: <br /> • ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND WASTE REDUCTION <br /> Initiate policies and programs that: 1) conserve energy; 2) reduce resource consumption; <br /> 3) increase the use of recycled and renewable resources; and 4) minimize waste stream <br /> impacts on the environment. <br /> • RESULTANT IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND AIR QUALITY <br /> Assess and where possible mitigate adverse impacts created to the natural resources of <br /> the site and adjoining area. Minimize production of greenhouse gases. <br /> Enrollment of the proposed farms into the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program will <br /> promote farmland protection, protect natural resources and air quality throughout the county, <br /> and minimize greenhouse gases. <br /> RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board certify the seven (7) farm <br /> properties noted above totaling 375 acres and designate them as Voluntary Agricultural District <br /> farms within the Caldwell, Cedar Grove, High Rock/Efland, Schley/Eno, White Cross, and Cane <br />