Agenda - 06-23-2005-9e - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 23, 2005 Action Agenda Item No. 9- ~ SUBJECT: Proposed Revisions to Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance (VFPO) DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Conservation ATTACHMENT 1, Recommended Changes to Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance (from APB) 2, Staff Memorandum 3, Status Report -Voluntary Agricultural Districts INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Tina Moon, 245-2583 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough Chapel Hill Durham Mebane 732-8181 968-4501 688-7331 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider a proposal from the Agricultural Preservation Board for revisions to the County's Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance, BACKGROUND: On September 22, 1992, Orange County became one of the first North Carolina counties to enact a Voluntary Farmland Preservation Ordinance, The ordinance governs the rules for the Agricultural Preservation Board (APB), the Voluntary Agricultural District program, and other matters relating to farmland preservation, The Ordinance underwent revisions in 2000 that addressed membership issues and the role and title of the Board, Farms enrolled in the Voluntary Agricultural District program must be certified as qualifying farmland and participate in the Use Value tax program, Farm owners wishing to participate then sign anon-binding 10-year conservation agreement that prohibits non-farm use, In exchange, farms receive a participation sign, protection against nuisance suits (1/2-mile radius notification to new buyers), waiver of any future water and sewer assessments and connection charges (until such time as they connect to said service), requirement of a public hearing prior to condemnation of lands by State or local governments, and consideration as a conservation area in review of adjoining new developments.