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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPB minutes 091819 Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board Approved Meeting Summary: September 18th, 2019 Environmental &Agricultural Center—Food Lab 306 Revere Rd., Hillsborough, NC 7:30 p.m. Members Present: Anderson, Compton, Dawson, Finley, McAdams, McKnight, Saiers, Shambley, Woods Members Absent: Redding, Parker, Vanhook Guests: Beth Myers and Jeff Sykes, applicants for prospective membership on APB Staff: Gail Hughes, Resource Conservation Coordinator-DEAPR-Orange Soil and Water; Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator; Mike Ortosky,Ag Econ. Development; Chris Hirni, Land Conservation Manager. 1. Call to order: Acting chair McAdams called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. 2. Chair Comments/Introductions: McAdams recognized the guests and asked them to introduce themselves. Chris Hirni also introduced himself as the new Land Conservation Manager. 3. Considerations of Additions to Agenda: Hughes noted that there is one additional parcel to be considered for enrollment in the VAD, owned by Portia McKnight. Sandbeck asked to add the matter of recommending new members to the agenda. 4. Meeting Summary/Minutes: May 15th, 2019 (Attachment 1): Shambley noted that she should be added to the list of members who were present; staff noted this correction. Compton moved to accept the minutes/summary as corrected; seconded by Saiers; motion carried. 5. Discussion Items: a) Election of Officers: McAdams asked for nominations from the floor. McKnight nominated Redding for chair, seconded by Dawson. Shambley moved to close the nomination, seconded by Saiers. Members selected Redding as chair by acclamation. McAdams asked for nominations for vice chair. McKnight volunteered. Shambley moved to close the nomination for vice chair, seconded by Saiers. Members selected McKnight as vice chair by acclamation. b) VAD Breakfast, Nov. 141h, 2019: Hughes gave an update to confirm the date. It will be held at the Grange. She plans to use the same caterer. Members discussed topics for the agenda. c) Ag Trust Fund Proposal next steps: Ortosky provided a brief overview of how the tax penalty for taking land out of Present Use could be used to promote farm preservation. Discussion followed about the timing for initiating this effort as a budget request in light of current county budget challenges.This will have more weight if the APB and Food Council both express their support. d) Ag Economic Development Grant Subcommittee: new APB member: Ortosky explained that one of the two APB members has rotated off, creating a vacancy. Dawson and Saiers both volunteered in August. Discussion followed. Saiers agreed to serve as the APB representative. 2 e) Proposal by Orange County Solid Waste to pick up farm waste for recycling: Solid Waste is exploring the idea of providing some sort of farm waste recycling program;this could be a drop off or on site pickup. Members agreed that this waste was an issue and that such a program would be helpful.This could include batteries and oil. Farmers can easily generate 50-100 gallons a year; hauling oil is messy so pick up will help. Ag plastics are also issue. Ortosky will follow up. He also noted that they will welcome an APB member on the county's Econ. Development Advisory Board. f) New Members: Members reviewed current applicants. McAdams moved to recommend Sykes, Myers and McPherson to the BOCC for membership; seconded by Woods. Motion approved. 6. Items for Decision: a) New VAD/EVAD Applications(Attachment 2): Hughes presented the current applications listed below.All of these farms meet the requirements/criteria for VAD/EVAD enrollment. • Richard Samulski (Eno River Farm): 178.18 ac. for VAD, Schley-Eno Ag District. Strawberry and blueberry production and managed woodland. • Manly and Kathy Palmer: 3.39 ac.for VAD, Caldwell Ag District.They produce hogs and sheep. • William D. Berry and Amanda Berry: 236.15 acres for VAD, Caldwell Ag District. Farm produces Beef cattle with pasture and hay land, and managed woodland. • Portia McKnight: 12.17 acres for VAD, White Cross Ag District.This is a new parcel just acquired so being added to existing acreage in program. Farm is in dairy cattle and pasture. Saiers moved to approve all as a group, seconded by Finley; McKnight abstained. Motion carried. Hughes reported that these farms will bring us up to 15,339 acres in VAD and EVAD. Farms approved tonight and those from the November meeting will go to the BOCC in December. 7. Informational Items/Future Agenda Items: a. Ongoing issues with recording VAD agreements with Register of Deeds: Hughes explained how the signed agreements must be registered as per updated state law. Our Register of Deeds is now seeking to impose their regular recording charge of$26 per agreement. We don't have this money in our budget and it is questionable if one county agency should be paying another for this sort of service. Right now this is awaiting resolution, so she is not able to have these recorded. Other counties have resolved this issue so we hope to be able to work through this. b. Upcoming minor/technical ordinance revisions: Staff is still working on this and may need to add some language relating to the recording fee issues.This will be presented at a later meeting. 8. Time for Information Sharing: McKnight explained a recent issue she encountered with the PUV process when you transition from forestry to agriculture on a piece of land;there is a 3 year waiting period when you shift from forestry to agriculture. But forestry use requires 20 acres, so her 12 acre parcel won't qualify. Woods reported that registration will close tomorrow for the Tri-County Pasture Field Day at Hurdle Mills;there is also a Forage/Weeds seminar planned for Oct. 8; email her for more information. And the Exchange Club will have its annual fish fry this coming weekend. 9. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:52 pm.