P-0155 - A Lands Legacy Program for Orange County 04-04-2000

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' ~ 11 1 Hillsborough and Orange County. He explained the general criteria used to identify potential land 2 acquisitions. In terms of funding options, the preliminary CIP does address the Lands Legacy Program and 3 has 4.6 million dollars allocated over ten years. The County has already been working with the Triangle 4 Land Conservancy and the Eno River Association. He listed four guiding principles for implementation. He said that he has taken the Board's response from October and February and developed some recommendations. He said that the staff would propose to develop an annual action plan. He would like to 7 bring an interim action plan to one of the next meetings for the Board's review. The recommendation is that 8 the Board discuss any of the changes that need to be made and adopt a resolution that would make the 9 Lands Legacy Program the County's policy for land acquisition. 10 Commissioner Jacobs said that he believes that one of the most important things that the 11 government can do for its citizens is protect these kinds of lands and leave a legacy for others. He thinks 12 that some of the efforts that were recently initiated are very much in keeping with these goals of preserving 13 some of the areas of Orange County. 14 Commissioner Jacobs asked about the properties that Orange County owns and if there are any 15 signs such as, "No Hunting" or "County Property." 16 David Stancil said that there are not any signs at this point, but there is a plan to have them. 17 Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 28 and evaluative criteria and said that there 18 was nothing in that section of the document that speaks to the imminence of the threat. He suggested that 19 this be included in this section. He made reference to page 32 about the staffs working together to develop 20 a parallel program for acquisition through the development process and David Stancil clarified that this 21 included the payment in lieu programs and transfer of development rights. 22 Commissioner Jacobs said that he hopes that the Board's concerns as spoken tonight about the 23 Bricewood Acres subdivision would be referred back to the Planning Board and the Parks and Recreation 24 Board. He would like to move the discussion in a little bit different direction from just accepting payment in 25 lieu as often as in the past. 26 Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page 35 and the dedicated surcharge and asked if this 27 was for any fund. David Stancil said that it would be to any fund in addition to the taxing authority. 28 A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to approve 29 adopting the resolution as stated below which provides a program for natural and cultural resource land 30 acquisitions. 31 • A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PRIORITIZED RESOURCE LANDS ACQUISITION PROGRAM ENTITLED, "A LANDS LEGACY PROGRAM FOR ORANGE COUNTY" 34 35 WHEREAS, in June of 1998, the Orange County Board of Commissioners did agree to the intent of creating 36 a "Comprehensive Resource Acquisition Program" to prioritize and acquire natural and cultural resource 37 lands of strategic significance in Orange County; and 38 39 WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on a new Environment and Resource 40 Conservation Department, including this land acquisition program concept, on November 22, 1998; and 41 42 WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners has recognized the need for a prioritized and voluntary 43 program for the County to acquire, by various methods, important natural and cultural resource lands; and 44 45 WHEREAS, the Board is cognizant of the many other similar efforts undertaken in 1998-99 by local 46 governments around the nation, and of proposals by other local governments within North Carolina and the 47 Research Triangle region to establish open space preservation programs: 48 49 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: 50 51 That the Orange County Board of Commissioners do adopt a land acquisition program entitled, "A Lands 52 Legacy Program for Orange County" (hereinafter the "Lands Legacy program"), as developed by County 53 Environment and Resource Conservation Department staff and. County preservation-related advisory boards 54 in 1999, and refined by direction of the Board of County Commissioners in October, 1999 and April, 2000. 55 56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Lands Legacy program will be the County's mechanism of preserving 57 important natural resource lands, cultural resources, farmland, parklands and watershed riparian buffers, • and is hereby incorporated into Orange County's policies as the County program for land acquisitions, as designated in the program presented April 4, 2000, as amended by the Board.