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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 1, 2003 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. !-~ -~~ <br />SUBJECT: Resolution of Approval and Acceptance of Grant -Agricultural Conservation <br />Easement with Carl and Elizabeth Walters <br />DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />Conservation <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Resolution of Approval <br />Property Map <br />Draft Conservation Easement <br />Conservation Easements Capital Project <br />Ordinance <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />David Stancil, 245-2,590 <br />Rich Shaw, 245-2591 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough <br />Chapel Hill <br />Durham <br />Mebane <br />732-8181 <br />968-4501 <br />688-7331 <br />336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider a resolution to approve the acceptance by Orange County of a <br />farmland preservation conservation easement from Carl and Elizabeth Walters, and <br />acceptance of a grant from the federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, <br />BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve <br />County farmland is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners, and is a priority of <br />the Lands Legacy Program. Acquisition of the County's first agricultural conservation <br />easement occurred in 2001, followed by two more in 2002, Similar efforts by the Triangle <br />Land Conservancy and the Orange Water & Sewer Authority have also been successful, <br />In July 2002, Orange County, in cooperation with the NRCS/Soil and Water Conservation <br />District, applied for matching funds from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection <br />Program to purchase non-agricultural development rights for three farms -one of which <br />belongs to Carl and Elizabeth Walters, Market appraisals were conducted far each farm to <br />determine the purchase price far the easements, Grant funds totaling $784,155 for all three <br />farms were awarded in September 2002. Of that total, $338,150 was allocated to the <br />Walters' farm. <br />The Walters raise beef cattle on their Cedar Grove farm located off High Rock Road in the <br />Back Creek watershed, The easement would protect 223.13 acres of active farmland on <br />three parcels, All future non-agricultural development rights would be purchased through the <br />easement, with the exception of one future house lot as denoted in the easement, The <br />