Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 5, 2001 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. _~ _ q <br />SUBJECT: Resolution of Approval and Acceptance of Grant -Victor and Lucille Walters <br />Conservation Easement <br />DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Conservation <br />ATTACHMENT <br />Resolution of Approval <br />Grant Agreement <br />Conservation Easement Agreement <br />Property Map <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />David Stancil, 245-2590 <br />Rich Shaw, 245-2591 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 9fi8-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider a resolution to approve entering into a farmland preservation <br />conservation easement.with Victor and Lucille Walters, and acceptance of a grant from the <br />N.C: Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. <br />BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve <br />County farmland has long been a goal of the Board of Commissioners, and is a priority of the <br />Lands Legacy program. Acquisitian of the County's first agricultural conservation easement <br />was a priority in the adopted Lands Legacy Annual Action Plan for 2000-2001. <br />In the fall of 2000, Staff began talking with farmers interested in conveying an agricultural <br />easement. Priority was placed on farms with a strong conservation track record in water <br />supply watersheds. After preliminary discussions with the Walters family, the Board <br />authorized pursuit of an easement and a grant submittal to the Farmland Preservation Trust <br />Fund. The Walters farm is in Back Creek watershed, and 92-year old Victor Walters was <br />Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1953. The grant was approved in February of this year <br />in the amount of $107,000, or half of the easement price. <br />Over the last few months, staff and the County Attorney have worked with the Walters and <br />their attorney to craft an easement that meets the family's needs and the County's interests. <br />The easement would cover a 70.83 acre parcel of farmland. All development rights would be <br />purchased through the easement, with the exception of two future house lots as denoted in <br />the easement. A baseline report on the property's current status has been prepared and <br />incorporated into the easement. <br />