Orange County NC Website
Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board <br /> Approved Meeting Summary: May 15th, 2019 <br /> Environmental &Agricultural Center—Food Lab <br /> 306 Revere Rd., Hillsborough, NC <br /> 7:30 p.m. <br /> Members Present: Anderson, Compton, Dawson, McAdams, McKnight, McPherson, R. Parker, Ranells, Redding, <br /> Saiers, Shambley, and Vanhook <br /> Members Absent: Finley,Woods,A. Parker <br /> Guests: Bonnie Hammersley, Orange Co. Manager; Mike Lanier, Cooperative Extension; Bob Marotto, Director, <br /> Animal Services; Cooper Hatch, Program Coordinator,Animal Services <br /> Staff: David Stancil, Director DEAPR; Gail Hughes, Resource Conservation Coordinator-DEAPR-Orange Soil and <br /> Water; Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator; Mike Ortosky, Ag Economic Development Coordinator <br /> 1. Call to order: Chair McPherson called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. <br /> 2. Chair Comments/Introductions: Chair McPherson recognized the guests. <br /> 3. Considerations of Additions to Agenda: None <br /> 4. Meeting Summary/Minutes: March 20`", 2019 (Attachment 1):Vanhook moved to accept the <br /> minutes/summary; seconded by McAdams; motion carried. <br /> 5. Discussion Items: <br /> a) Orange County Agricultural Trust Fund Proposal (Attachment 2): Dawson reviewed the highlights of <br /> the proposal discussed at the March meeting.This is supported by the Food Council and the APB. He <br /> noted that the farmers are the ones who maintain green space and protect the watersheds from <br /> development in Orange County. Farmland places less demand on county services and thus is good <br /> for the county budget: costs 70 cents per dollar of tax collected versus$1.25 for developed land that <br /> requires full services. The funds generated by this proposal are collected when land goes out of farm <br /> use.This program could partner with the Lands Legacy/Ag Conservation Easement and Ag Grant <br /> programs, and thus would channel funds into these two existing programs that are already <br /> operating very effectively; no new staff needed. County Manager Hammersley responded that the <br /> county already provides support through these two programs. Right now the recaptured Present <br /> Use Value funds now go into the general fund.That amount in essence already supports the <br /> county's ag programs but is not directly allocated to those programs.The proposed new County <br /> budget already requires a tax increase to cover a projected deficit of$2.8 million.A large part of the <br /> budget shortfall comes from the loss of impact fees from developers,which is nearly$3 million.This <br /> is a good idea but the resources are not currently available. The BOCC showed support for the Food <br /> Council by establishing the new coordinator position to be funded by the county and the towns. She <br />