HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPB minutes 031815ORANGE COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION BOARD
MEETING SUMMARY--APPROVED
March 18th, 2015
Environment & Agricultural Center – Conference Room
306 Revere Road, Hillsborough, NC
7:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Vaughn Compton, Howard McAdams (Chair), Renee McPherson,
Gordon Neville, Ashley Parker, Noah Ranells, Joe Thompson, Kim Woods (Vice-Chair)
MEMBERS ABSENT/EXCUSED:
GUESTS: Richal Vanhook
STAFF: Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator, DEAPR
1. Call to Order: Chair McAdams called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM.
2. Vice-Chair Comments: Chair McAdams told the group that he enjoyed serving and that
this would be his final meeting as chair. Guest Richal Vanhook introduced himself and
explained his background with his family farm and his interest in serving on the board.
3. Consideration of Additions to Agenda:
4. Meeting Summary / Minutes – January 21st, 2015 (Attachment 1): Parker moved to
accept the minutes/summary; seconded by Woods; motion carried.
5. Introduction of Guest: Members had already made their introductions.
6. Items for Decision:
(a): New VAD and EVAD applications: (Attachment 2): Sandbeck presented two new
applications on behalf of Gail Hughes, who could not attend tonight.
Both applications have been reviewed by staff and meet all the criteria and requirements
for APB consideration for the VAD and EVAD programs.
James C. Thompson—Thoms Creek Farm (James A. Thompson/Susan Thompson):
592.55 acres for VAD: (New Hope and Cane Creek/Buckhorn Districts): Family farm
consisting of five parcels: (1) parcel on Davis Road (44.45 acres) and (4) parcels in the
Bradshaw Quarry Road area. Hay, pasture, beef cattle and forestry/woodland. Woods
moved to approve the Thompson VAD; seconded by McPherson; motion carried.
Elise Bortz (Elysian Field Farm): 43.65 acres for EVAD (Cedar Grove District),
mixed vegetables, woodland and forest, on Oakley Road. Compton moved to approve the
ATTACHMENT 1
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Bortz EVAD; seconded by Thompson; some discussion followed about the differences
and benefits of VAD versus EVAD. Motion carried.
(b): Election of Officers for 2015-16: Chair McAdams opened nominations for the new
chair. McPherson nominated Kim Woods as chair. Woods responded that she appreciated
the vote of confidence but must respectfully decline. Parker then nominated Renee
McPherson as chair; Ranells seconded. McPherson stated that she was willing to serve as
chair, and expressed her hope that Woods could continue as vice-chair. Ranells moved to
close the nominations for chair; seconded by Thompson; motion carried. McAdams
moved to open the floor for nominations for vice chair. McPherson moved to nominate
Woods; seconded by Compton. Woods accepted the nomination to serve as vice chair.
Ranells moved to close nominations for vice chair; seconded by Parker; motion carried.
By acclamation, McPherson was elected chair and Woods as vice-chair.
(c): Nominations for two members to serve on Ag Grant Application Review
Subcommittee: McAdams explained the composition of this review committee which will
have a total of five members. McAdams asked for volunteers. Compton offered to serve.
Woods nominated Ranells. Ranells asked Thompson if he would serve. Thompson noted
that his second term on the Ag Board was going to end in June and that he would
respectfully decline given his present health conditions. Ranells agreed to serve and said
they would work to bring what they could back to share with the board. The current plan
is to have four meetings per year. They are budgeted to grant out up to $60,000 per year
but right now have a backlog totaling $100,000 in accumulated revenue to expend.
McPherson moved to nominate Compton and Ranells to serve as the Ag Board
representatives on the new Ag Grant Application Review Subcommittee. Neville
seconded. Motion carried. Staff will relay these names to the appropriate parties.
7. Items for Discussion
a. Ideas for potential new board members: Staff handed out copies of the most
recent roster of applicants for the board. Members reviewed the handout. Two
applicants showed special backgrounds in farming or farm marketing. We
presently have six vacancies, plus two more coming up at the end of June. The
current County board policy does allow for members who hold expired terms to
continue to serve for up to a year if no suitable replacements are found. Members
discussed several prospective new members and agreed to approach those that
they knew. Compton agreed to speak to Renee Parker and Allison Nichols Nutter.
McAdams agreed to speak to John Soehner. Woods moved to recommend the
appointment of current applicants Amanda Scherle and Richal Vanhook (both
have filled out the online application); seconded by Ranells; discussion followed
about other possible members, both for at-large and district seats; motion carried.
Staff will proceed to recommend these two names to the BOCC for appointment
as soon as possible.
b. Anything else: Ranells noted that Mike Ortosky has been working on a
Agricultural Economic Development Plan. Perhaps we can ask him to make this
presentation to the board. Ranells suggested that we consider inviting Mike to
attend our meetings on a regular basis to enhance communication between the two
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county entities. Staff will seek guidance on how to best accomplish this and will
initiate this invitation.
8. Informational Items / Future Agenda Items
a. Ag Summit: overview of presentations by attendees: Members provided their
reports on some of the speakers. The speaker from Georgia was of particular
interest for his presentation about his highly diversified farm operation that
combined traditional agriculture with wedding events etc.
b. Animal Services Ordinance Revisions update: Staff reported that the proposed
new ordinance was still being reviewed by attorneys. He will make sure we see
the final version before it goes back to the BOCC. The main issues of concern to
the Ag Board were at-large livestock and working guard dogs.
c. Carrboro and Chapel Hill approve the modified version of the AG Support
Enterprises program This attachment was included for informational purposes.
Both Chapel Hill and Carrboro now support this, so it goes back to the BOCC.
9. Time for information sharing: Woods noted that the Livestock Show was coming up
soon on April 15th and 16th at the Orange Grove barn, so please come out. This is the 70th
anniversary. Sandbeck noted that the County’s Historic Preservation Commission was
presently working on updating their inventory of historic properties, first done in 1993.
One of the goals is to document the historic farmsteads. He asked if he could call on Ag
Board members for information about various farms and farmers who knew a lot of local
history. Neville suggested that he contact Melvin Whitfield down his way to talk about
the early days of the dairy industry. McAdams will represent the Ag Board at tomorrow’s
meeting with the BOCC. This is the work session when they meet with all the board and
commission chairs. Discussion followed about the role of the Ag Board. This group is
charged with advising the BOCC on all matters relating to agriculture, and should be
consulted when these issues are initiated, and not late in the game.
10. Adjournment: Neville moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Parker; motion
carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:58 pm.
Next Meeting – May 20th, 2015