Agenda 02-10-2026; 1 - Boards and Commissions – Annual Work Plan Summaries

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Attachment 3 12 ORANGE COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ANNUAL REPORT AND WORK PLAN Name of Board/Commission: Agricultural Preservation Board Report Period: January 2025-December 2025 Person to address the BOCC, title, and contact information: Michael Hughes, Chair: (919) 270-6462 or.mmhC@-mmhpe.com Primary staff contact: Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff support 1. How many times per month does this board/commission meet, including any special meetings and subcommittee meetings? Once every other month, on the third Wednesdays of January, March, May, July, September and November. 2. Please briefly describe this board/commission's assigned charge and responsibilities. The charge of the Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) is "to encourage the voluntary preservation of farmland from non-farm development, recognizing the importance of agriculture to the economic and cultural life of the county." The Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) serves as the County's advisory board for agricultural issues and administers the Voluntary Farmland Protection Program. The APB advises the BOCC on agricultural development and farmland preservation, sustainable agriculture, emerging trends in agriculture, and other initiatives to help ensure that farming continues to be a viable activity here. The APB makes recommendations on proposed Voluntary Agricultural Districts (VAD) and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts (EVAD). The APB is responsible for preparing and updating the countywide Agricultural Development and Farmland Protection Plan, and the implementation of the agricultural sections of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan, Natural and Cultural Systems Element (in coordination with other agricultural agencies). 3. What are your board/commission's most important accomplishments during the report period? • The completion of a multi-year project to prepare a new Agricultural Viability and Farmland Stewardship Plan for Orange County. The APB's Farmland Preservation Subcommittee worked for over two years to prepare a new plan to update and replace our outdated 2009 plan. A draft of the new plan was presented to the BOCC at the April 8, 2025, work session. In response to BOCC comments and input, the draft has been updated and revised with input from Planning staff and review by Legal. A final version will be presented to the BOCC in early 2026.