Orange County NC Website
7 <br /> ( c) Education. The County may take such action as it deems appropriate through the Board or other <br /> entities or individuals to encourage the formation of the Districts or the Enhanced Districts and to <br /> further their purposes and objectives , including the implementation of public information programs to <br /> reasonably inform landowners of the agricultural district program . <br /> ( d ) Addition and withdrawal. <br /> ( 1 ) Qualifying farmland in a Region shall be added to the Agricultural District as provided in this <br /> Ordinance . <br /> (2 ) In the event that one or more Certified Qualifying Farms in the Agricultural District withdraws and <br /> the acreage in the District or Enhanced District becomes less than the minimum acreage required <br /> or results in the remaining land being noncontiguous , any Agricultural District will continue to exist <br /> so long as there is one Certified Qualifying Farm in the Agricultural District . <br /> ( Ord . of 03 -244 992 , Art . VI, eff. 04 - 014 992 ; Amend . of 044 7 -2000 , eff. 044 7 -2000 ; Amend . <br /> of 06 -23 -2005 , eff. 06 -23 -2005 ; Amend . of 04 -20 -2010 , eff. 04 -20 -2010) <br /> Sec . 48- 7 . - Certification and qualification of farmland . <br /> Requirements . To secure County certification as qualifying farmland (Certified Qualifying Farm ) , a farm <br /> must be real property that meets the following requirements : <br /> ( 1 ) Be located in the unincorporated area of Orange County ; <br /> (2 ) -§ 106 5814., Be used for bona <br /> fide farm purposes , as that term is defined in G . S . 10 &743 . 4 ( a ) and G . S . 160M03 ; <br /> ( 3 ) Be in accordance with the minimum size requirements , which are as follows : <br /> (a) Consist of at least ( i ) one contiguous acre of land in production for horticultural or agricultural <br /> purposes ; or ( ii ) at least twenty total acres of land under management for forestry; <br /> ( b ) In the event that a landowner has multiple tracts of qualifying farmland that are eligible , and <br /> those tracts are located within one mile or less of each other , then they may comprise a Voluntary <br /> Agricultural District . <br /> Anrintilfimn &nn kint ' farm eR whiGh at least twG thirds ef the land is ncunpGsed of soils that ; a <br /> 1 seed , fiber, fGFage1 timber, ferestry J <br /> v� <br /> J <br /> (4 ) Be managed in accordance with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and N . C . Division <br /> of Soil and Water Conservation See-defined erosion - control practices and have a current <br /> conservation farm plan and/or forestry management plan associated with the current usages and <br /> owner ; and <br /> ( 5) Be the subject of a conservation agreement , as defined in N . C . Gen . Stat . § 121 -35 , between the <br /> County and the owner of such land that prohibits non -farm use or development of such land for a <br /> period of at least ten years , except for the creation of not more than three lots that meet applicable <br /> County zoning and subdivision regulations . <br /> ( Ord . of 03 -244 992 , Art . VII, eff. 04 - 014 992 ; Amend . of 044 7 -2000 , eff. 044 7 -2000 ; Amend . <br /> of 06 -23 -2005 , eff. 06 -23 - 2005 ; Amend . of 04 -20 - 2010 , eff. 04 -20 -2010 ; Amend . of 6 -2 -2015 , <br /> eff. 6 -2 -2015 ) <br /> Sec . 48- 8 . - Application , approval , and appeal procedure . <br /> Page 5 <br />