Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
8 <br /> (a) Application and certification procedures. A farmland owner may apply for either certification as <br /> qualifying farmland or for qualifying farmland designation. For a farmland owner to receive the benefits <br /> provided by this Ordinance, the farm must be certified as qualifying farmland (Certified Qualifying <br /> Farm) by the Board and approved and designated as a Voluntary or Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br /> District by the Board of Commissioners. <br /> (1) Applications for qualifying farmland certification shall be made to the County Department of <br /> Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation on forms provided by the Department. <br /> (2) The Department of Environment,Agriculture, Parks and Recreation shall review each application <br /> for completeness. When complete, the application shall be forwarded to: <br /> a.—The tax S,in^r„ic^r'c ^ff'r^;The Tax Administration- Land Records GIS Division; and <br /> b. The local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States <br /> Department of Agriculture. <br /> The Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation shall submit the application along <br /> with the find RgS ^fsupporting information from the Tax Administration Department — Land Records GIS <br /> Division and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture <br /> to the Board at its first regular meeting after expiratien ef the 30 day peried speGified on this subseGtieR <br /> /o\M\ n any extenoinn +hereef. <br /> (3) The Board shall render a decision within 60 days of the meeting at which the application and <br /> fiediegs supporting information ^f+ho T� °r7m'n'�+rte+;^n n^nar+men+and the N-atur-al a <br /> Cnnsentiorr ��iee e# the I'n,ted c� icsDepar+m^n+ of °„ric .were presented for <br /> consideration. If applicable, the Board shall prepare a recommendation to the Board of County <br /> Commissioners regarding the establishment of a Voluntary or Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br /> Districtwoth'n 60 days ^f the moo+;n^ <br /> (4) Upon receipt of the recommendation of the Board, the Board of Commissioners may consider <br /> establishment of a Voluntary or Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District. in deGi 'ing whether to <br /> establish aR AgFiGUItural DiStFiGt, the Beard ef Gemmissieners shall GORSider the findings ef the <br /> rornmmenrlo+lnn Af+ho Beard <br /> (5) Upon approval by the Board of Commissioners, the establishment of a Voluntary or Enhanced <br /> Voluntary Agricultural District shall become effective upon reEerdatiGR execution of the necessary <br /> conservation agreements, prepared in accordance with section 48-7, subsection 48-7(a)(5), <br /> executed by the landowner and the county_; arid—Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District <br /> agreements shall be recorded in the County register of deeds as provided in N.C. Gen. Stat. § <br /> 121-41. <br /> (6) Upon execution of the requisite number of conservation agreement�sj, the <br /> Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation will notify the Tax Administration <br /> Department—Land Records GIS Division of the Agricultural District established. The Agricultural <br /> District and each requisite conservation agreement will be identified on the County GIS. <br /> (b) Appeal. If an application is denied by the Agricultural Preservation Board, the landowner may, within <br /> 15 days of notification of disapproval of the application, request in writing that the Agricultural <br /> Preservation Board reconsider its decision. The request for reconsideration shall state the reason(s) <br /> therefore. Upon either an initial denial, if no request for reconsideration was made, or denial after <br /> reconsideration, the landowner shall have 30 days from the date of notification to appeal the decision <br /> to the Board of County Commissioners. Such appeal shall be presented in writing. The decision of the <br /> Board of County Commissioners is final. <br /> (Ord. of 03-24-1992, Art. VIII, eff. 04-01-1992; Amend. of 04-17-2000, eff. 04-17-2000; <br /> Amend. of 06-23-2005, eff. 06-23-2005; Amend. of 04-20-2010, eff. 04-20-2010) <br /> Page 6 <br />