RES-2024-005 Approval of Conservation Easement between Orange County and the Triangle Land Conservancy and Terry Road Farm, LLC

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i RES - 2023 -005 , 1/ 16/24, 81 Attachment 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION Approval of Conservation Easement between Orange County and the Triangle Land Conservancy and Terry Road Farm , LLC WHEREAS Orange Count has adopted goals that promote the reservation of natural areas , g Y P g p p wildlife habitat , prime farmland , and open space in the county ; and WHEREAS , Orange County established the Lands Legacy Program for the purpose of protecting the most significant natural and cultural resources through partnerships with landowners and other conservation entities ; and WHEREAS , one component of the Lands Legacy Program is the acquisition of conservation easements on prime farmland within water supply watersheds ; and WHEREAS , the Terry Road Farm , LLC property includes approximately 50 acres in the Little River Protected watershed , consisting of a majority of prime agricultural soils , and includes just over 1 , 500 feet of stream frontage on the South Fork of the Little River , part of the water supply for the City of Durham and ultimately , via Falls Lake , the City of Raleigh . The property also directly abuts the 170 - acre Reimer Nature Preserve owned and managed by Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC ) . Access to the property would be through the adjoining TLC owned lands , and allowance of two subdivisions specifically for the acquisition and expansion of the TLC Reserve ; and j WHEREAS , the owners of the Terry Road Farm , LLC , wish to grant a permanent conservation easement to Orange County and the Triangle Land Conservancy , which will protect the farmland , prime open space , and riparian corridors that exist on the property ; and WHEREAS , a conservation easement on this approximately 50 acres would ensure the preservation of this open space and stream buffers for future generations and help compensate the owner for this long -term commitment ; NOW, THEREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners does hereby 1 ) accept on behalf of Orange County the conservation easement for land owned by Terry Road Farm , LLC , ; 2 ) approve the execution of this conservation easement agreement with Terry Road Farm , LLC , in accordance with the terms of the proposed easement agreement , subject to final review by staff and the County Attorney ; 3 ) authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the easement agreement on behalf of the Board , with a closing to occur on or about March 30 , 2024 ; and 4 ) authorize County staff to sign any and all closing documents upon consultation with the County Attorney . BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board thanks Terry Road Farm , LLC , for their civic- minded granting of this conservation easeme the Lands Legacy Program . This the 16t" day of January , 20 � 7 �z + rpj6'zetta eedford , Chair range County Board of Commissioners Laura Jen , Clerk to the Board ��.� 10JI tot�"��