Item:
Title
Approve Capital Project Amendment No.25CPA029 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No.25BCC061 Decreasing the Open Space & Farmland Preservation Capital Project (4730DC083) by $184,750, Transferring those funds to the General Fund to Support the Purchase of the Clara Glenn Farm Conservation Easement
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: January 13, 2025
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve the final budget for the Clara Glenn Farm Conservation Easement, as well as approve Capital Project Amendment No.25CPA029 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No.25BCC061 decreasing the Open Space & Farmland Preservation Capital Project (4730DC083) by $184,750, transferring those funds to the General Fund to support the purchase of Clara Glenn's farm conservation easement, 40 acres located at 12712 Hampton Road in Rougemont.
Clara Glenn's land is a former tobacco farm that is currently a mixture of woods and fields. The Glenn family is renovating and restoring the open land, growing wheat and corn, fruit trees, vegetables, and raising bees. Mrs. Glenn has lived in the historic home on the farm for over 70 years. Mrs. Glenn's land is part of a larger farm property originally owned by Lucious Glenn. Durham County has protected two other family farms that were part of Lucious Glenn's lands.
The Board approved this conservation easement project in January 2022. Since then USDA-NRCS funding, through the Agricultural Lands Easement Program (ACEP-ALE), has been secured to pay for 50% of the appraised easement value, $181,000. The transfer of $184,750 to the General Fund will be used to pay 50% of the easement value and closing-related fees.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: The acquisition of conservation easements for permanent open space aligns with Strategic Plan Focus Area: Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, Objective SI 3: Preserve and restore the natural and built environment, and SI 3d: Protect and restore natural resources, land, recr...
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