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Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board Approved Meeting Summary: March 17, 2021 'Virtual Meeting via GoToMeeting' 7:30 p.m. Members Present: Anderson, Compton, Dawson, McAdams, McKnight, McPherson, Myers, Parker, Redding, Saiers, Shambley, Sykes, Vanhook, Woods Members Absent: Finley Guests: Roger Gunn, Orange County Real Property Appraisal Manager Staff: Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator; Mike Ortosky,Ag Economic Development Coordinator; Sherry Scully, Natural Resource Conservation Service. 1. Call to order: Chair Redding called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. 2. Chair Comments/Introductions: None 3. Considerations of Additions to Agenda: None 4. Meeting Summary/Minutes: November 18, 2020: Compton moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Saiers; minutes were approved. 5. Items for Discussion: a) Orange County PUV Program: Roger Gunn, Real Property Appraisal Manager for Orange County, provided members with an overview of the PUV program and its administration in accordance with NC General Statutes 105-277.2-7.There are several broad requirements for enrolling: it has to be individually owned; it has to meet the size requirements (10 acres for agriculture; 5 acres for aquaculture; 5 acres for horticulture; and 20 acres for forestry--and for forestry land,there must be an approved written forestry management plan); income requirements for agriculture and horticulture of$1000 per year for three years prior to making application. Being in the PUV program qualifies you by statute to be a bona fide farm in the eyes of the Planning Dept. It is a complex program. Members then posed a variety of questions about various topics. Is this program adjusting to recognize the increasing movement to smaller, intensive operations on minimal acreage?To date, the state has not moved to lower the acreage requirements, and only the state can do that.You must own a property for four years or reside on the property prior to Jan 1 of the year in which you apply, or be related to someone who owned the property. If you purchase a property that is already in the program,you must apply for enrollment and can participate if you meet the other requirements. Land protected by a conservation easement will be eligible if it allows for farming and selective timber harvesting. For equine operations, the income and acreage requirements still apply. Grazing fees are an allowable source of income. They require the written forestry management plans but not a written conservation plan.The initial qualifying tract must be contiguous, then you can add additional parcels that aren't contiguous. If you add forestry acreage,you need to have a forestry management plan in place as of Jan. 1 of the year that you apply for each new parcel, which can be smaller than the 20 acre minimum requirement for an owner's first parcel. He has a new