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HomeMy WebLinkAboutShaping OC Task Force memo 092101 St;� ncil - ERCD Progress Report . doc Page 1 1 ORANGE COUNTY ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM To : David Stancil , Environment and Resource Conservation Director From : Tina Moon , Land Use/ Preservation Planner Date : September 21 , 2001 Re : Shaping Orange County ' s Future Progress Report The following responses reflect the Environment and Resource Conservation Department and its associated advisory board ' s ( Commission for the Environment , Water Resources Commission , Agricultural Preservation Board , Historic Preservation Commission ) new and ongoing efforts to fulfill the recommendations put forth in the Shaping Orange County ' s Future Report , Goal 1 : Put Community Building First Action Strategy 1 - 1 g ) Establish partnerships between urban and rural residents through community support for local farming . • The Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) and the Environment and Resource Conservation Department (ERCD) are active participants in the County 's annual agricultural summit and have been involved in the pursuit of an agricultural economic development position . The County recently approved a new two -year position and the candidate is expected to begin in November of 2001 . The agricultural developer should serve as a broker to help local growers find markets for their products. Action Strategy 1 -7a ) Increase developer and citizen awareness of significant historic resources and the need to protect them ; and offer rewards to developers who successfully incorporate/preserve county history . • The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has discussed different approaches to educate local residents about the importance of historic and cultural resources and hopes to begin an outreach program in the near future . The County 's 250th anniversary celebration will likely be a good opportunity to begin such a program . Action Strategy 1 -7b ) Identify important corridors , areas , and sites of historic and cultural significance . • The County sponsored a countywide architectural survey during the early 1990s to document sites of historic and cultural significance . ERCD staff and the HPC continue to update the inventory as they identify additional sites of importance . Action Strategy 1 -7c ) Encourage heritage tourism by protecting historic and archaeological sites and opening selected sites for an Orange historic "trail . " Dave Stancii - ERCD Progress Report . doc Page 2 2 • The ERCD and HPC have developed a new incentive -based program designed to protect important corridors. ERCD has provided non -profit groups such as the Eno River Association with the Little River with information for a driving tour. The HPC plans to produce its own driving tour for display at the 25oth anniversary. Action Strategy 1 -7d ) Support the preservation and sharing of the County ' s history through displays , museum exhibits , etc . • The HPC has discussed options for assembling a display at the Orange County Museum but has not pursued it yet. The Town of Hillsborough has recently hired a new planner dedicated almost entirely to Historic Preservation . The ERCD and HPC hopes to develop some collaborative preservation programs with the Town and the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough in the future. Action Strategy 1 -8b ) Fund acquisition of land and easements for future parks , rustic woodland trails , and bikeways . • ERCD is actively seeking appropriate lands for fee simple purchase or conservation easements through its Lands Legacy program . ERCD staff also participate in the Planning Development Review Committee meetings where subdivision applications are considered. This allows ERCD staff to have some input with regard to the dedication of land for public recreation or the payment in lieu of dedication option for development projects . Goal 4 : Improve Government Efficiency and Effectiveness Action Strategy 44b ) Determine carrying capacity of land and decide where to invest resources : water , sewer , landfill , parks , etc . • While not specifically listed as part of this action strategy, the Water Resources Committee ( WRC) has been working with studies from the US Geological Survey to analyze the county's water capacity and soil types . The "Report of the Water Resources Committee " was adopted in March 2001 and has been sent to the Orange County Health Department for comments. The results of this work should be incorporated into the new comprehensive plan . Action Strategy 4 - 5a ) Do a cost of service study to examine " real " costs of different types of land uses ( agriculture , residential , commercial , office , industrial ) . • While not specifically listed as part of this action strategy, the APB and CFE have been pursuing cost of service studies to demonstrate the positive economics of local agriculture. The APB recently invited a guest speaker from the American Farmland Trust to discuss this very issue and the costs associated with having such a study completed for Orange County. The CFE has also been reviewing information from the American Farmland Trust regarding the consultant costs for cost of services study. Goal 5 : Adopt Policies to Move the Community Toward Sustainability Action Strategy 5 - 1 a ) Create a set of sustainability indicators using the SOCF Sustainability Committee indicators as a starting point . i Action Strategy 5 - 1 b ) Create a permanent County database for these key indicators . L :!1 in :+'Si1CF:=RM Proyecc: ReporLdoc Dave Stencil - ERCD Progress Report . doc Page 3 3 Action Strategy 5 - c ) Track progress toward sustainability with annual reports to the community . Action Strategy 5 - 1 d ) Use the indicators to help determine effectiveness of current policies and identify needed policy changes . Action Strategy 5 -2a ) Examine status and trends of each natural resource based on a small number of key indicators . Action Strategy 5 -2b ) Establish a general guide of standards and criteria based on resource limits that will help to define parameters of sustainability in Orange County , Action Strategy 5 -4f) Have all local governments join the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign , Action Strategy 5 - 5a ) Institute a countywide program administered at the county level to promote concepts of sustainability and educate the public on sustainability . Environment and Land Use Goal 2 : Conserve Natural Areas , Farmland and Other Important Open Space Action Strategy ENV -2 - 1 ) Use the Lands Legacy program to develop a comprehensive countywide Natural Areas Conservation /Open Space Plan . That addresses the following : a ) A program to protect important natural areas . • ERCD has hired a consultant to update existing natural area inventory documentation to be used as the base of a new Natural Areas Element to the Comprehensive Plan . Once the Element is completed, ERCD staff can massage its existing natural areas/open space plan . b ) Identify and protect the most important prime farmlands . • ERCD GIS staff have prepared maps identifying prime farmlands based on soil productivity standards. Staff are currently drafting new maps delineating active farmlands based on aerial information from the Soil and Water Conservation District. These new maps will serve as the basis for the APB to determine agricultural priority areas to concentrate the farmland protection component of our Lands Legacy program . c ) Recognize that open space needs vary in different parts of the county . • ERCD staff are working with Planning GIS staff to include population or density information as well as the existing district and community service area system when determining county open space and parkland needs. d ) Set annual goals as benchmarks for preservation of certain natural areas and wildlife habitat ( x acres /years ) . • Since its inception, ERCD has been using the Lands Legacy program as its main tool to increase the amount of acreage dedicated for natural areas and wildlife L :`•.i"inaLSOCF` ERCL Fr,i� rcss:5 Rtpiri . �Jc;�' Dave Stancil - ERCD Progress Report . doc Wage 4 4 preservation . Specific acreage benchmarks have not been established yet. e ) Integrate all of the above to maintain as best as possible : a viable ecosystem for plants and wildlife , corridors critical for animal migration , critical habitats , an agricultural landscape , and outdoor recreational opportunities . • A preference for this type of integration or holistic view toward environmental conservation is built-info the Lands Legacy program . ERCD achieved this objective by pursuing projects that serve multiple conservation objectives such as farmland easement in water supply watersheds . In addition, parkland projects such as the Little River Park and Natural Area and the Cates Farm park area designate areas for different levels of activity. Some County parkland will be left undisturbed while other areas will be used for active fields such as baseball and soccer. Action Strategy ENV -2 -2 ) Achieve Natural Areas/ Open Space Plan through : a ) Fee- simple acquisition of the most important/threatened areas ; • ERCD staff and the CFE identify critical and threatened areas each year through the Lands Legacy Annual Action Plan . After the Action Plan is approved by the BOCC ERCD staff contacts the owners of identified parcels and pursues different conservation options. b ) Purchase of conservation easements ; • ERCD arranged the County 's first farmland conservation easement in July of 2001 . c ) Purchase of Development Rights , where appropriate ; • ERCD essentially purchased development rights as part of the farmland conservation easement. d ) Transfer of Development Rights ; • ERCD and the APB continues to pursue this option as part of its agricultural preservation toolkit. e ) Tax exemptions for actively farmed land and managed forestland ; • The APB is pursuing certain tax exemptions for actively farmed land as part of the Voluntary Agricultural District program incentives . f) Possible development of a forest banking system ; • ERCD staff have initiated conversations with the Forestry Service regarding this type of program, but little progress has been made to date . g ) Purchase of timber rights . • While a traditional conservation easement approach could be used to essentially purchase timber rights no specific program has been created at this point. Action Strategy ENV =2 -3 ) Secure & increase funding for acquisition of land and development rights : a ) Increase local funding through bonds for open space and natural areas . • A bond package, currently set for November 2001 , would provide funding for parks and open space accessible to the public. b ) Create a dedicated local funding source for acquisition of these areas . • Some dedicated monies are already allotted to the County through the Lands Legacy program administered by ERCD. c ) Aggressively pursue grants for state and federal agencies to assist in acquisitions . ff • ERCD has established a track record for "obtaining grant funding and working in collaboration with other counties and land conservancies . By pursuing projects that achieve multi-objectives ERCD has also been able to piggyback L ^:Tina\SC? CFNERCO Progroe� Roporl . dof% Dav Stincil - ERCD Progress Report . doc Page 5 5 funding from different sources . d ) Increase advocacy for state and federal funding for programming , land acquisition , and farmland preservation . • The. CFE recently penned a letter to our state elected officials regarding the importance of funding for open space and farmland easement and acquisition programs . e ) Maximize purchasing power through use of federal , state , and land trust partnerships . • ERCD has already established a successful partnership with the Eno River Association for the Little River Regional Park and will continue to pursue other partnerships when the opportunity arises. f) Explore development of a land conservation revolving fund . • To date, ERCD has not had an opportunity to pursue a conservation revolving fund at the county level. Action Strategy ENV -2 -4) Educate and encourage homeowners , landscapers , and nurseries to use native or non - invasive exotic plants in landscaping . • Will the new Natural Areas Element speak to this issue at all ? Will information from the Natural Areas Element get incorporated into the Landscaping section of the new land development code ? Environment and Land Use Goal 3 : Create Environmentally Sustainable Transportation Systems that Meet People ' s Needs Action Strategy ENC -3 - 6b ) Have the County and Towns take the lead in instituting ozone action plans as models for other local governments and industries . • The ERCD has been considering purchasing an alternatively fueled vehicle for departmental use for the last few years. The department hopes to lead by example in this area and gradually provide guidelines for local residents, after establishing its own successful track record. Environment and Land Use Goal 4 : Pollution Prevention and Waste Reduction Action Strategy ENV4 -1 a ) Continue current efforts to guide growth away from public water supply watersheds to prevent new discharges into these watershed . • The ERC and Planning & Inspections departments will use the information from the 'Report of the Water Resources Committee " to prepare a second report on the status of water protection in the county 's ten water supply watersheds. The results of this second report will be incorporated into the new Comprehensive Plan to help direct growth where it can be best accommodated. Action Strategy ENV4 - 1 c ) Lobby for state construction projects to come under local authority for sedimentation and erosion control monitoring and enforcement , or lobby state to adopt regulations as stringent as those of Orange County , Action Strategy ENV-4 - 1 f) Identify wellhead protection areas that should be protected for ground water quality . • The "Report of the Water Resources Committee " adopted in March of 2001 touches on this subject and refers to a map prepared by the US Geological Survey during their three L•;Tina .SC?i; F'•.CRC;D �rclurs:� RerpurLdr;� Davy; Stancil - ERCD Progress Report . doc Page 6 6 studies on Orange County ground water. Action Strategy ENV-4 - 1g ) Develop an ongoing , long -term groundwater monitoring program . i Environment and Land Use Goal 5 : Protect Our Water Supply Action Strategy ENV -5 - lb ) Protect groundwater and limit use to recharge rates/carrying capacity , as determined through scientific studies ( such as the current Water Resources/ USGS effort ) . Action Strategy ENV-5 -2a ) Establish a water conservation program for all water providers within the county . Action Strategy ENV - 5 -21b ) Develop a water reclamation program for all water providers , identifying possible users of reclaimed water and providing incentives for use . Action Strategy ENV -5 -2c ) Permit use of gray-water for landscape watering , flushing toilets and other appropriate uses . Economy Goal 1 : Support a Diverse Economy that Meets Local Needs Action Strategy ECO -1 -4) Improve farming viability by supporting farming—traditional and new—through a public/private partnership . • The ERCD and APB are working to improve farming viability through improved incentives to the Voluntary Agricultural Disfrict program, participation in the annual agricultural summit, and collaboration with the new agricultural economic developer. LATinda'SOCRERCD Progress RoporLdoc