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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPB Meeting Summary 03192025 Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board Approved Meeting Summary: March 19t", 2025 ***Bonnie Davis Center, 1020 US 70 West, Hillsborough *** 6:30 pm Members Present: Compton, Hooten, Hughes, McPherson, Miller, Myers, Ranells, Saiers, Sykes, Totten, Wagger, Weitzel, Woods Members Absent: Taylor Guests: Cy Stober, Director, Orange Co. Planning Dept.; Kerilyn Schewel and Lee Miller, Duke University Staff: Jessica Perrin, Soil and Water Conservation Manager, Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator; Mike Ortosky, Community & Rural Development Agent; Abby Mattingly, DEPR Administrative Support 1. Call to order: Chair Hughes called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm 2. Chair Comments/Introductions: Hughes asked members and guests to introduce themselves 3. Considerations of Additions to Agenda: None 4. Meeting Summary/Minutes: Staff noted several corrections: the cost for last year's breakfast should be $1,900 versus a cost this year of$1,259. Also, the Gundlach/Kage farm is in mostly in the Caldwell Ag District, and not the Cedar Grove District. Sykes moved to approve the meeting summary for January 15t", 2025, with corrections made; seconded by Saiers; motion passed. 5. Items for Decision: a) VAD update and new farm applications: Perrin presented a summary of activities. There is one farm being proposed for review; it meets the VAD/EVAD requirements and criteria: 1. Lindsay and Philip Butler: 18.71 acres for VAD, in the Schley/Eno Ag District. One parcel in pasture for raising miniature Herefords; there is an updated conservation plan completed and in place; there's not enough timber land to require a timber plan. Perrin noted that the adjoining parcels shown in the GIS map are owned by John and Yvonne Cooper, who have those parcels in pasture; more attention will be required to resolving some conservation issues before those parcels can be eligible for enrollment in the VAD program. Ranells moved to approve the Butler application, seconded by Saiers; motion carried. Perrin noted that the two applications approved by the APB in January will be presented to the BOCC on April 151". She also reported on the new Landscape software 7 2 being implemented by the county to help manage conservation easements; our VAD/EVAD data will be integrated into this software to track land changes and transactions. 6. Discussion Items: a) Land Use Plan 2050: overview of new draft and discussions with BOCC: Guest Cy Stober provided a quick overview of the Planning Department, then began by discussing new information on bona fide farm as it applies to agritourism activities and also provided background and an update on his recent advisory opinion concerning that topic. When the state enacted zoning in 1959, farming was exempt. Since that time there has been some gradual movement toward some zoning control over the subdivision of farmland, but not the farm operation itself. He reviewed the basic zoning rules that govern various subdivisions of farmland. If a farm meets the requirements of a bona fide farm, including "activities incident to the farm" then a farm is exempt from all forms of county zoning. We cannot regulate the lighting, parking, traffic etc. If it looks like a farm, smells like a farm and feels like a farm, you're exempt from local zoning. Planning has to interpret this issue within laws governing bona fide farms and apply the county zoning rules accordingly. These issues become much more complicated in the areas of entertainment and special event venues. Discussion followed about the definitions of bona fide farms and agritourism, along with Mr. Stober's advisory opinion. Discussion then turned to the Land Use Plan 2050 update process, in light of the recent work session where the BOCC had many questions and concerns. As a result, there will be an extension for this process to allow for time for additional BOCC input, probably extending this process into 2026. Planning tries to update this plan about every 15 years. They've had about 600 surveys provided by citizens. This generates a future land use map or FLUM that is used to guide discussion about zoning and land use issues. Mr. Stober provided a PowerPoint presentation to walk members through the process. The county will face tremendous development pressures during this period. 92 percent of the land are of the county is still unincorporated, with generally low density. There is intense growth around Mebane with annexations into Orange. Development is not viable in large areas due to septic requirements. They forecast a decline in the number of farms and acreage that is in farming. An important theme is to promote sustainable development, which encompasses preserving agricultural lands and critical watersheds, along with improved transportation alternatives and affordable housing. The plan website provides a huge amount of information and data, and more information about the process. b) Insights from a research project with first generation farmers in Orange Co: Guests Kerilyn Schewel and Lee Miller provided a presentation to give an overview of their project with Duke University that focuses on listening to farmers in Orange and Durham counties to learn about what they need to succeed. They are interviewing smaller farmers, often first- generation farmers, asking them: "what do you need to flourish" and "how can local government/institutions help you achieve it?" So far, they've interviewed 32 farmers, with 24 in Orange Co., with a goal of maybe 50 farms in total and 35 in Orange. They started in December. They are having interviews and conversations with farmers who actively 3 produce food, to find out why they choose to go into farming and to learn how farming works or doesn't work for them. Most of the ones they've interviewed are in 30s and 40s and have been farming for five or more years. They've found a broad range of reasons that folks go into farming. Many have college degrees but have chosen farming as a way to have meaningful work/life. They've often spent time working on other farms first, sort of as apprentices, to learn about farming. Challenges tend to focus on business management, access to labor, marketing and cost of land acquisition or leasing. They're looking at what other counties and areas of the country are doing in these areas. They'll be happy to share what they learn as they move forward with the project. c) Revised/updated draft of updated Ag Viability and Farmland Stewardship Plan: Saiers walked members through the new condensed version of the plan for the membership. This version incorporates recent input from David Stancil among others. The plan is organized around a set of goals, followed by recommendations for each goal, then lists of specific actions that need to be taken to implement the goals. In brief, the goals are: plan for agriculture, to make it a central planning consideration; conserve farmland through direct measures, like conservation easements; and last, to enhance the economic viability of agriculture. We will present this to the BOCC at their work session on April 8. They will be given the full version in advance. Discussion followed. Looking ahead, it's important to recognize that the goals of the plan will have to be implemented/carried out through specific requests that the APB and others will have to place before the BOCC for action/funding, and through the planning process and amendments to the LIDO. Chair Hughes suggested that a motion should be made from the floor to express support/endorse the draft. Discussion followed. The final plan that we present needs to be clear about our priorities, maybe in order, and it's likely that costs will be an issue too. Staff explained that we will present this draft to the BOCC at the work session, with the goal of soliciting their input and feedback. It's likely that the plan will need revisions to incorporate the BOCC's input. Ranells moved to endorse the draft plan, seconded by Hooten. Some discussion followed about the issue of defining agritourism. Motion carried unanimously. 7. Informational Items/Future Agenda Items: a. APB presentation at BOCC work session on April 8: Covered during discussion of draft plan. b. Ag Summit follow up: deferred in the interest of time. c. Extension and Ag Economic Development activities: Ortosky showed a new video about agrovoltaics and described the proposed demonstration project being planned for the Breeze farm, pending a grant from the Dept of Energy, which might be uncertain now. d. Membership: Staff reviewed the roster briefly, noting that four members will be retiring off the APB on June 30, 2025. So please start thinking about names of prospective new members and share that contact information with staff, who will reach out to these folks. 8. Time for Information Sharing: None 9. Adjournment: Sykes moved to adjourn, seconded by Hughes; meeting adjourned at 9:02pm.