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32 <br /> Model Conservation Easement Revised <br /> (1) the Orange County Board of Commissioners' goal (adopted June 21, 1999) to <br /> identify and coordinate the preservation of the County's most significant natural areas; and <br /> (2) the Land Use Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan (adopted <br /> November 18, 2008)with its goal of"Land uses that are appropriate to on-site environmental <br /> conditions and features, and that protect natural resources, cultural resources, and community <br /> character;" <br /> (3) the protection of similar Orange County properties designed to protect <br /> conservation and open space values through conservation easements granted to the Grantee and <br /> others in the vicinity of the Grantors' Property; and <br /> (4) Article 17 of the North Carolina General Statutes NCGS I I3A-24, entitled <br /> Conservation, Farmland and Open Space Protection and Coordination, otherwise known as the <br /> "Million Acre Initiative,"which provides that the State of North Carolina shall encourage, <br /> facilitate, plan, coordinate, and support appropriate federal, State, local, and private land <br /> protection efforts so that an additional one million acres of farmland, open space and <br /> conservation lands in the State are permanently protected by December 31, 2009; and <br /> (5) the Land and Water Fund,North Carolina General Statute 113-145.1 et seq., <br /> which recognizes the importance of protecting riparian buffers in conserving clean surface water; <br /> and <br /> (6) the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act, authorized by NCGS § 139-1, <br /> et seq., which provides for the preservation of farm, forest and grazing lands; and <br /> (7) the special present use value assessment of farm and forestland as set forth in <br /> NCGS § 105-277.2 et seq.,which allows for lower property tax rates for land enrolled in active <br /> agricultural uses. <br /> E. The characteristics of the Property, its current use and state of improvement, are <br /> described in the report entitled"Baseline Report for the Moorefields Property Conservation <br /> Easement," dated (hereafter"the Baseline Report")prepared by the Grantees, of <br /> which a summary is attached as Exhibit C to the Conservation Easement. The Grantees worked <br /> with the Grantor to ensure that the report is a complete and accurate description of the Easement <br /> Area as of the date of this Conservation Easement. It will be used by the Grantees to assure that <br /> any future changes in the use of the Easement Area will be consistent with the terms of this <br /> Conservation Easement. However, the Baseline Report is not intended to preclude the uses of <br /> other evidence to establish the present condition of the Easement Area if there is a question <br /> about its use. The Grantors and Grantee have copies of the Baseline Report. The original of <br /> Baseline Report will remain on file at the office of the Orange County Department of <br /> Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation. <br /> Page 4 of 22 <br />