HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-05-1995 - IX-E 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: September 5. 1995
Action Agenda
Item#
SUBJECT: Farmland Preservation Workshops
DEPARTMENT: Planning PUBLIC HEARING: Yes X No
ATTACHMENTS: INFORMATION CONTACT:
Planning Director X2592
Project Budget Proposal
Draft Farmland Preservation Program Goal
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
Chapel Hill 967-9251/968-4501
PURPOSE: To consider funding for a series of Farmland Preservation Workshops.
BACKGROUND: Since January of this year, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board has
focused its discussions on a more comprehensive approach to farmland
preservation. To assist farmers and the general public in understanding
the various options that are available, the Advisory Board wishes to
conduct two workshops on October 4-5 in the Superior Courtroom. The
workshops would begin at 7:00 p.m. and end at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Although both workshops would be open to the public,a special invitation
would be issued to farmers to attend the workshop on October 4.
Presentations would be made by Bob Wagner,Director of State and Local
Programs for the American Farmland Trust, Dr. Tom Daniels, Director
of the Agricultural Preserve Board for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,
and Gary Phillips, a local certified appraiser and realtor. Mr. Wagner
would focus his discussion on the variety of programs being used
nationally to preserve farmland.Dr.Daniels would then narrow the focus
by discussing techniques in use in Lancaster County,recognized as one of
the most successful programs in the nation. Mr. Phillips would then
provide an example of how farmers have worked together in Chatham
County to preserve farmland in a portion of that county. Each workshop
would conclude with a panel discussion, including a question and answer
period, involving the presenters and representatives from local
agricultural agencies and the farm community.
In addition to the workshops described above, the Agricultural Districts
Advisory Board would like to conduct a series of training workshops for
the staff'of the Planning Department,the Cooperative Extension Service,
and the Natural Resource Conservation Service(formerly SCS).The topic
2
of the training sessions would be the use of volun conservation
easements, in combination with estate planning, as a means of
farmland/natural resource preservation.The training workshops would be
conducted by Mr. Brian Dobbins, a conservationist working with several
local farmers on easement plans.
Funding for these workshops was not included in the FY 1995-96 budget,
since the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board only recently completed its
planning for initiatives to be undertaken in this fiscal year. Both series
of workshops are estimated to cost $3,040 and both have been included
in the draft Farmland Preservation Program goal recently distributed to
the Board of Commissioners.Copies of the proposed budget and draft goal
are provided as attachments.
RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends approval of the funding from the
Commissioners' Contingency Fund.
3
Budget Proposal
FARbELAND PRESERVATION WORKSHOPS
Mr. Bob Wagner,American Farmland Trust
Airfare $ 250
Lodging 120
Meals 50
Totid $ 420
Dr. Tom Daniels, Lancaster Co., PA.Agricultural Preserve Board
Airfare $ 350
Lodging 120
Meals 50
Honorarium 600
Totgd $ 1,120
Mr. Gary Phillips, Certifled Appraiser/Realtor
Honorarium $ 200
Mr. Brian Dobbins, Conservation Easement Specialist
Honorarium/Workshop Expenses $ 300
Workshops
Photocopying $ 100
Postage 200
Advertising 200
Refreshments 300
Video/Tape Recording 200
Total $ 1,000
Total Projected Cost $ 3,040
4
Adopted 10/18/94
Draft Revision 8/22/95
FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM
GOAL: DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE VOLUNTARY FARM AND PRESERVATION PROGRAM FOR
ORANGE COUNTY
STATUS REPORT
This.initiative represents the continuation of an objective included among the
Commissioners'goals fore FY 1992-93.The revised Plan of Action reflects the outcome of the
.November, 189 ifartuland.Preservation bond referendum and the Agricultural.Districts
Advisory Beard s focus on developing a more comprehensive
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES
In August, 1990,the Board of Commissioners reconstituted the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board and charged
it with developing a purchase of development rights (PDR) program for Orange County. One month later, the
Advisory Board initiated its work, and, in June of 1991,presented a status report to the Board of Commissioners
on the proposal.
The Board of Commissioners asked the Advisory Board to address the following.
s Revision of the system of ranking farmland to include visibility from major thoroughfares and proximity
to municipalities;
s Expansion of the Advisory Board to include municipal representation, including preparation of a
Farmland Preservation Ordinance; and
s Presentation of the PDR proposal to Township Advisory Councils to develop support for the program
proposals.
Between June, 1991 and February, 1993, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board addressed the concerns
identified by the Board of Commissioners as follows:
s March, 1992 Board of Commissioners adopts a Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program
Ordinance recommended by the Advisory Board.
s Mgy, 1992 Board of Commissioners expands the Advisory Board membership to include
municipal representation as recommended by the Advisory Board.
s Mgy, 1992 Advisory Board adopts Rules of Procedure to guide its deliberations.
s April,1992 1,300 notices sent to land owners participating in the Present Use Value Taxation
Program, advising them of the Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program.
s Juste, 1992 Orange County's first voluntary agricultural district designated by the Board of
Commissioners.
s September, 1992 Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance amended to reduce the
amount of farm acreage required for participation.
s February, 1993 Ordinance amended to permit small tracts surrounded by or adjacent to existing
or proposed districts to be included.
The system adapted for local use by the Advisory Board in ranking farmland for PDR purposes is the SCS Land
Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) system. The system may be used to evaluate and rank farmland based
5
on specific criteria, including cropland and forestland productivity, as well as locally defined site assessment
characteristics such as farm size, percentage of farm in agricultural use, and the presence of environmentally
sensitive areas.The LESA system had been used extensively nationwide,and Forsyth County,North Carolina was
notable among the jurisdictions which have used the system for this purpose.
In May, 1994, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board met with Board of Commissioners to review work
completed to date on the LESA system, and administrative procedures and financial options for a PDR program.
Subsequently, the Board of Commissioners adopted a bond calendar and proceeded with plans to hold a
referendum on a$5.0 million farmland preservation program. In November, 1994,the bond issue was defetaed by
a margin of 52% to 48%.
Since the November bond referendum, the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board has focused on a more
comprehensive approach to farmland preservation, including.
• Conducting a Farmland Preservation Workshop with representatives from the American Farmland Trust
invited to meet with the farm community and general population to identify successful methods of farmland
preservation.
• Conducting a series of staff training workshops involving Planning, Soil Conservation, and
Agricultural Extension personnel in the use of voluntary conservation easements as a means
of farmland preservation through estate planning.
• Preparation of a"Future of Agriculture Study" (modeled after a similar project undertaken
in Montgomery County,Maryland)to identify the role of agriculture in the local economy and
serve as a component of the Economic Development Strategic Plan update.
• Conducting a study of the feasibility of establishing a Land Trust in Orange County,including
the applicability of such an approach to other goals; e.g., historic preservation, rural
character protection, and natural resource preservation.
• Consideration of a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Study prepared by a Planning Intern as part
part of program requirements for a Masters Degree in City& Regional Planning.
• Review/revision of the Purchase of Development Rights Program,including the LESA system for evaluating
farmland.
• Preparation of a Farmland Preservation Element as part of the Comprehensive Plan which incorporates
the findings and recommendations of the above workshops and studies.
These objectives have been included in the attached Plan of Action.
RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS
Development of a farmland preservation program will involve the following commitment of staff resources:
Planning Director Planner IIJSpecial Projects
Planner I/GIS Administrative Assistant II
Staff will compile data from time sheets concerning staff hours expended and costs associated with completion of
this goal.Monthly reports will be distributed to County Manager,Agricultural Districts Advisory Board,Planning
Board, and Board of Commissioners outlining monthly/cumulative staff hours and costs assigned to this project.
6
0
aA
c�
c�
a -
z
0
a
d
gg b
•� 3
A ate' 01 q o m •a �°,
gz
F
C a ° o o ao A. vim w Q ,b
p p� �p .o ;z .
F a � � No IL 4 s a I
o c m o o q a' of
o p" eoZ c y ° w oa ° mV
c.
pq � a�
JI 1.
All
AC
a • • • G� � > � aoa ° o L� a � wa P�qm � as fs� o � aa. o
e
t �
1p ka W W
CD ka
.�i
Fr ..
pzA
A A A
V1 O O c
be Q�q V
0.i a Q q v � U c o ° ° °' •� o
8 � O � w o O � a0i °a3fA v] p� �
w
0
U
Z
Q o
w •�
a
L-L
°
os
. ..:.... ..... ..:.. .:.. . ..
�a
.:. . . . . .: ..
ti
0
Q
8 '
m
o
0.i ^d "Wb PC 10 R3
d r aaad tiaa
f� a
ark • • • • • • • •
0
a�
w w � .
O
U
d
O
a
o �