Minutes 04-08-2025-Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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36 that some of the proposals were not legal, but she would like the County Attorney's Office to review the plan. She asked for a better idea of who does what and how that gets done. Mike Ortosky said the idea of a stewardship employee is a good idea, but it could come from changing some job descriptions. He said it is a legitimate question and could be done. Chair Bedford said she wants to know more about the safety certification and how much it costs. She said it seems like such a great opportunity. She said one of the needs is more freezer space. She asked if they can build freezers to assist with keeping products. She said that farmers in the food share were looking for more space and infrastructure. Commissioner Greene said that she had asked for more information on getting food into the schools from Jonathon Smith at Cooperative Extension. She said there were procedural steps from schools in addition to GAP certification. Chair Bedford said that she would like to put that on a future school collaboration meeting agenda. Mike Ortosky said the GAP certification is required to sell to any institution because it is legally a good thing to do. He said there is a huge market, but certification is very important. Chair Bedford asked if it costs a lot to be certified. Mike Ortosky said it's about$1,500 total. He said prime farmland has a definition. He said there is a difference between preserving a farm and preserving prime farmland as a resource. Commissioner Fowler said that was part of her question on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Commissioner McKee said often prime farmland is also the best for development. Cy Stober, Planning Director, said that northern Orange County is not acceptable for potential to accommodate septic systems. He said that if they did not include prime farmland, it would be only 30%. He said the bittersweet concept of flexible development is permanent preservation of prime farmland areas in exchange for smaller lots, more development potential. Chair Bedford asked about agricultural use in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Jane Saiers said the request was to look at the UDO and see where some of the ordinance can be strengthened to avoid the impacts on prime farmland, and then practices or policies that can mitigate. Chair Bedford asked if there was a new law about downzoning. Cy Stober said it only applies to non-residential uses or zoning districts. Chair Bedford asked if something is not zoned agricultural now, can they zone it. Cy Stober said potentially if its not used for an industry or business. Chair Bedford said she would like to make sure other departments are looking over the plan. Commissioner Greene said they can't keep the farmer from selling their land to developers but maybe the county can incentives the developer keeping the majority of the prime farmland undeveloped and the houses could be build around it instead of on it. She said that in Loudon County, Virginia, they had cluster subdivisions, but the development was put on the most prime farmland. Chair Bedford said they need some help with the definition of sprawl. Mike Ortosky said there is a difference between rural sprawl and normal subdivision sprawl. He said that lowering density is not the same as protecting farmland. He said farmers' planning horizons get shorter when things are fragmented around them. He said it is called impermanent syndrome and at some point, fragmentation occurs, and you are the only one left, and then you will sell at that point. He said that rural sprawl is a definition to look into. Chair Bedford said she would not want to tie the hands of farmers in what they want to use their land for. Cy Stober said the minimum set aside would be 60% in flexible development. He said that it is an idea that they are exploring and diving into, but he does not have an answer this evening.