Agenda - 11-05-2013 - 4b; VAD - Dunn, Neville, Compton, Shambley, Durham, Johnson, Thompson

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 5, 2013 Action Agenda Item No. 4 -b SUBJECT: Voluntary and Enhanced Agricultural District Designations for Multiple Farms Dunn, Neville, Compton, Shambley, Durham, Johnson, and Thompson DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No Parks and Recreation (DEAPR); Soil & Water Conservation ATTACHMENT(S): 1) Applications and Maps INFORMATION CONTACTS: David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2510 Gail M. Hughes, 919 - 245 -2753 Peter Sandbeck, 919 - 245 -2517 1 PURPOSE: To consider applications from multiple landowners /farms to certify qualifying farmland within the Cedar Grove, High Rock /Efland, Schley /Eno, and White Cross Voluntary Agricultural Districts; and enroll the lands in the Orange County Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) and the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) programs. BACKGROUND: Orange County's Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program was started in 1992. To date, 28 farms have enrolled in the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program, and 5 farms have enrolled in the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) program, totaling 5,838 acres within the seven districts comprising the non -urban portions of the County. The County's Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance (VFPO) outlines a procedure for the Agricultural Preservation Board to review and approve applications for qualifying farmland, and to make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners concerning the establishment and modification of agricultural districts. Section VII of the VFPO contains the requirements for inclusion in a voluntary agricultural district. To be certified as qualifying farmland, a farm must: 1. Consist of the minimum number of contiguous acres to participate in the present -use- value taxation program (20 acres for forestry, 10 for agriculture and 5 for horticulture), 2. Be participating in the farm present- use -value taxation program established by N.C.G.S. §105 -277.2 through §105- 277.7, or is otherwise determined by the county to meet all the qualifications of this program set forth in G.S. 105 - 277.3;