Title
Vote on a request to adopt the revised Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinance
Abstract
Agriculture and agribusiness (food, fiber, and forestry) remain significant in the local economy, contributing an average of $129M in annual total cash receipts (NCDA, 2018 Ag Stats) in Chatham County. As such, agriculture is viewed as a foundational piece of the livelihoods and lifestyles of many within Chatham County. Tasked with the need to preserve, protect, and enable agriculture, along with the rural character and lifestyle of the county, one such measure to accomplish these goals is to establish a sustainable Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program. With the establishment of a VAD program within Chatham County, active measures can be taken to preserve and protect farmland from non-farm development and provide benefits to producers that will contribute to the well-being of all county citizens. In order to enact such a program within the county, we seek assistance from the Board to adopt a VAD ordinance that will provide structure and a foundational basis for a viable program here in Chatham County.
Action Requested:
Vote on a request to adopt the revised Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinance.
Introduction & Background:
The purpose of the Voluntary Agricultural District program is to encourage the preservation and protection of farmland from non-farm development. This is done in recognition of the significant importance of the role of agriculture to the economic and social well-being of North Carolina. In Chapter 106, Article 61 of the North Carolina General Statutes, the North Carolina General Assembly authorizes counties to undertake a series of programs to encourage the preservation of farmland. As a result of that action, counties throughout the state of North Carolina have adopted Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) ordinances. The ordinance provides for the creation of an Agricultural Advisory Board to administer this program. Chatham County...
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