Agenda 02-06-24; 8-f - Enhanced Voluntary and Voluntary Agricultural District Designation

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2 ten years, except for the creation of not more than three lots that meet applicable County zoning and subdivision regulations. The Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board reviewed the findings of the staff assessments for the attached applications for the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District program at its regular meeting in January 2024. All farm applications were reviewed and verified to have met or exceeded the minimum criteria for certification into the program. The Agricultural Preservation Board voted to recommend approval of the certification for these two (2) farms, and their inclusion in the Voluntary and/or the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District programs. The certification documentation is on file in the DEAPR/Soil and Water Conservation District office. The farms are described briefly below: Brief Farm Descriptions: 1) Owners Andy and Debra Gates submitted an application to enroll two (2) additional parcels of land totaling 47.2 acres as qualifying farmland for a Voluntary Agricultural District in the Caldwell Agricultural District Region. The farm operation includes the production of corn, wheat, and soybeans along with hay and managed forest land. 2) Owners Daniel Lee Miller and Emily Sloss submitted an application to enroll two (2) parcels of land totaling 20.26 acres as qualifying farmland for a Voluntary Agricultural District in the High Rock/Efland Agricultural District Region. The farm operation includes pasture for sheep and honey production. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. Voluntary Agricultural Districts are non-monetary and require a non-binding 10-year conservation agreement. Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts are non-monetary and require a binding 10-year conservation agreement. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. The Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District Program ordinance conserves, protects and encourages the preservation and improvement of agricultural land within the County boundaries as a critical component of the County's cultural and rural character and its economy by virtue of the production of food, fiber and other products. The purpose of this Ordinance is to reduce the loss of productive and existing farmland by promoting agricultural values and the general welfare of the County, recognize the existence of important farmlands by seeking to minimize risks of nuisance suits that arise from the onset of other land uses, encourage participation in voluntary programs to preserve and protect farmland from non-farm development and increase identity and awareness of the agricultural community, and its role in the economic and cultural quality of life for all County residents (from the Orange County Farmland Preservation/VAD program ordinance).