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2 <br /> ten years, except for the creation of not more than three lots that meet applicable County zoning and <br /> subdivision regulations. <br /> The Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board reviewed the findings of the staff <br /> assessments for the attached applications for the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District <br /> program at its regular meeting in November 2022. All farm applications were reviewed and verified <br /> to have met or exceeded the minimum criteria for certification into the program. <br /> The Agricultural Preservation Board voted to recommend approval of the certification for these <br /> four (4) farms, and their inclusion in the Voluntary and/or the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br /> District programs. The certification documentation is on file in the DEAPR/Soil and Water <br /> Conservation District office. The farms are described briefly below: <br /> Brief Farm Descriptions: <br /> 1) Owners Tamara and Whitney Watson have submitted an application to enroll two (2) parcels <br /> of land totaling 21.1 acres as qualifying farmland for an Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br /> District in the High Rock/Efland Agricultural District Region. The farm operation includes <br /> vegetable, cut flower, and fruit production; pasture; and woodlands. <br /> 2) Owners Robert Lux and Tracy Goldstein have submitted an application to enroll one (1) parcel <br /> of land totaling 37.57 acres as qualifying farmland for a Voluntary Agricultural District in the <br /> Cedar Grove Agricultural District Region. The farm operation includes livestock, pasture, and <br /> woodlands. <br /> 3) Owners John Charles Sharpe Sr., John Charles Sharpe Jr., and Jeanne Sharpe Walker have <br /> submitted an application to enroll one (1) parcel of land totaling 132.6 acres as qualifying <br /> farmland for a Voluntary Agricultural District in the Cedar Grove Agricultural District Region. <br /> The farm operation includes a tobacco-rye crop rotation and managed forest land. <br /> 4) Owners Sheila, Michael, Christopher, and Carson Bishop have submitted an application to <br /> enroll three (3) parcels of land totaling 54.52 acres as qualifying farmland for a Voluntary <br /> Agricultural District in the in the New Hope Agricultural District Region. The farm operation <br /> includes hay production, livestock, pasture and woodlands. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. Voluntary <br /> Agricultural Districts are non-monetary and non-binding conservation agreements. Enhanced <br /> Voluntary Agricultural Districts are non-monetary and are binding 10-year conservation <br /> agreements. <br /> SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to <br /> this item: <br /> • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY <br /> The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary <br /> for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their <br /> dependents. <br /> The Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program ordinance conserves, protects and <br /> encourages the preservation and improvement of agricultural land within the County boundaries <br /> as a critical component of the County's cultural and rural character and its economy by virtue of <br />