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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPB Meeting Summary 07172024 Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board Approved Meeting Summary: July 17', 2024 ***Bonnie Davis Center*** 6:30 p.m. Members Present: Compton, Hooten, Hughes, McPherson, Miller, Myers, Saiers, Sykes, Taylor, Totten, Wagger Members Absent: Palmer, Ranells, Woods Guests: Alex Kissinger, Area Agent - Livestock, Forage, and General Agriculture, NC Cooperative Extension Staff: Jessica Perrin, Resource Conservation Coordinator-Orange Soil and Water; Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resource Coordinator 1. Call to order: Acting Chair Hughes called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. 2. Chair Comments/Introductions: Hughes recognized new members Totten and Miller, who introduced themselves and shared their backgrounds. Members then introduced themselves. 3. Considerations of Additions to Agenda: Perrin asked to give updates on VAD projects and the annual VAD Breakfast. 4. Meeting Summary/Minutes: Compton moved to approve the minutes for the May 15tn meeting, seconded by Hooten; motion carried. 5. Items for Decision: None 6. Discussion Items: a) Overview of consultant's preliminary recommendations for the county land use plan update: Hughes summarized the current efforts to update the county's land use plan. The consultants hired by Planning provided four initial development scenario maps. Hughes sits on a committee called the Whole Orange with about 38 members. At their last meeting, the Whole Orange Group deliberated these map proposals. Members of the group suggested that different interest groups should formulate opinions from different perspectives that can be presented to the BOCC. The Whole Orange group would like the APB to attend an upcoming meeting to explain the work of the APB and discuss the update for the land use plan. This is a critical time for the APB to be involved in the land use planning process, when this group is being invited to offer substantive input. Discussion followed about the timeline and the schedule for getting our input, and how we might be able to share our recommendations with the BOCC in one of their special work sessions, which would be a 2 very constructive way to inform them and at the same time answer their questions. We are being told that the details and content will be hammered out this winter and into the spring of 2025. It's likely that the best time for the APB to appear at a work session will be during the winter, prior to the onset of the budget cycle. Thus, a future step will be to get the APB on the agenda for a BOCC work session. Hughes walked members through the four scenario maps provided by the consultants. Discussion followed about the implications of each of the proposals on farmland preservation. Staff will share a link to the video of the last presentation the consultants made to the BOCC in May. b) Farmland Preservation Subcommittee: The group is looking at the feasibility of forming a task force to focus on the concept of "planning for agriculture." That group could include a couple of APB members, along with some from Planning and Whole Orange to help get folks on the same page. The objective will be to figure out what planning for agriculture really needs to look like, as opposed to planning around it or as an afterthought, as has been the case up to now. The group will drill down into the four proposed scenarios and then decide what to recommend. And finally, the subcommittee is working on a new updated Farmland Protection Plan, and this task force could be a sounding board for the concepts and drafts. The subcommittee is working on shaping ideas for the big goals for this process. We're trying to decide what are we hoping to share with the BOCC, hopefully to get their approval, and then map out the implementation steps. Discussion followed. There was general agreement that this is going to be the critical phase of our effort. c) Membership: There's only one vacant at-large position, thanks to the addition of Totten and Miller, as per the updated roster. Our next cycle will be in September or October. d) Update on VAD projects and the VAD breakfast: Perrin provided a brief update about the four applications she's currently working on, to be considered in September. In mid- September, she'll be attending her annual conservation employee training for all the Soil and Water Districts across the state, so will miss our September meeting. Sandbeck will cover the VAD presentations. She hopes to find a new venue for the breakfast, in a different part of the county this year. They are working on updating their website which will include the VAD program. She hopes to get signage installed soon and will also have to replace some that have gone missing. Guest Alex Kissinger provided an overview of his role with Extension, including livestock, animal waste and ponds. 7. Informational Items/Future Agenda Items: a. Extension and Ag Economic Development Activities: None b. Update on activities of Whole Orange group: Hughes already provided details earlier. 8. Time for Information Sharing: None. 9. Adjournment: Saiers moved to adjourn, seconded by Sykes. Meeting adjourned at 7:51 pm.