Priority Lands September 25 2008

Priority Lands Committee Priority Lands Committee MeetingMeeting

September 25September 25thth, 2008, 2008

The LandTrust officeThe LandTrust office

AgendaAgenda Gray Family Properties Gray Family Properties Peggy Gray’s Peggy Gray’s

Tree Farm & Kenneth Gray’s FarmTree Farm & Kenneth Gray’s Farm Ezra GilliamEzra Gilliam – revised project details, – revised project details,

surveyed out home sitesurveyed out home site Karriker – Karriker – approval to apply for farmland approval to apply for farmland

protection grant moniesprotection grant monies Sally Murphy – Sally Murphy – Preservation EasementPreservation Easement ADFP Easements ADFP Easements Knox, Term Knox, Term

Easements & Rollans Easements & Rollans Updates / General DiscussionUpdates / General Discussion

GrayGray Iredell CountyIredell County Two easements proposed for this yearTwo easements proposed for this year

1.1. Peggy (& Reid) Gray’s Tree FarmPeggy (& Reid) Gray’s Tree Farm2.2. Kenneth Gray’s FarmKenneth Gray’s Farm

Feb 2006, Priority Lands Cmte & Board Feb 2006, Priority Lands Cmte & Board reviewed & approved an easement on reviewed & approved an easement on 180 acres owned by both Reid & 180 acres owned by both Reid & KennethKenneth

This year, Kenneth would like to protect This year, Kenneth would like to protect the 120 acres that he was proposing in the 120 acres that he was proposing in 2006 & Peggy would like to protect her 2006 & Peggy would like to protect her 130 acre tree farm130 acre tree farm

ReidKenneth

Peggy Gray’s Tree FarmPeggy Gray’s Tree Farm

Iredell CountyIredell County 129.38 acres 129.38 acres Owned by Peggy GrayOwned by Peggy Gray No structuresNo structures Agreed to a $5,000 stewardship Agreed to a $5,000 stewardship

endowment contribution in Feb 2006, endowment contribution in Feb 2006, with original project proposal. Still with original project proposal. Still committed to this.committed to this.

Property BackgroundProperty Background

4,300 ft 4,300 ft frontage on frontage on South Yadkin South Yadkin River & 2,300 ft River & 2,300 ft frontage on frontage on unnamed unnamed tributarytributary

Just a “rough Just a “rough tree farm”tree farm”

2 power line 2 power line right-of-waysright-of-ways2002 ortho photos

Reid walking on the road Power line right-of-way

South Yadkin River, 4,300 feet of frontageWildlife food plots

Conservation Easement Conservation Easement RestrictionsRestrictions

Floating building envelopeFloating building envelope 100 ft buffer on unnamed tributary to 100 ft buffer on unnamed tributary to

South Yadkin River & 200 ft buffer on South Yadkin River & 200 ft buffer on South Yadkin RiverSouth Yadkin River

Right to pay to hunt by the dayRight to pay to hunt by the day The existing food plots in the duck The existing food plots in the duck

pond area are excluded from the pond area are excluded from the Riparian BufferRiparian Buffer

Staff RecommendationStaff Recommendation

Recommend Board approval as Recommend Board approval as presented.presented.

Kenneth Gray’s FarmKenneth Gray’s Farm Iredell CountyIredell County 2 tracts2 tracts

43.11 acres, owned by Kenneth A. Gray43.11 acres, owned by Kenneth A. Gray 73.76 acres, owned by Old Mt Farms, 73.76 acres, owned by Old Mt Farms,

Inc.Inc. FarmlandFarmland No structuresNo structures Stewardship Endowment - tentatively Stewardship Endowment - tentatively

agreed to $5-$10Kagreed to $5-$10K

Farmland Farmland ConservationConservation

2,300 feet of road 2,300 feet of road frontagefrontage

No stream frontageNo stream frontage Surrounded by other Surrounded by other

Gray properties, Gray properties, potential conservation potential conservation easementseasements

Property BackgroundProperty Background


No reserved home sites No reserved home sites Protection of farmland & scenic Protection of farmland & scenic

viewshedviewshed



Gilliam Family FarmGilliam Family Farm

Approved by PLC on 5-22-08 and by Approved by PLC on 5-22-08 and by the Board on 6-10-08the Board on 6-10-08

Ezra and Marian GilliamEzra and Marian Gilliam Rowan CountyRowan County 67 acres67 acres Donated Conservation EasementDonated Conservation Easement

Conservation Easement - Conservation Easement - ReservationsReservations

Originally approved with no reserved Originally approved with no reserved home sites or rights to subdivide & 150 home sites or rights to subdivide & 150 foot buffer (the garden is excluded for foot buffer (the garden is excluded for the life of the Gilliam’s).the life of the Gilliam’s).

Mr. Gilliam would now like to survey out Mr. Gilliam would now like to survey out ½ acres near existing home for his ½ acres near existing home for his nephew, who will inherit the land. The nephew, who will inherit the land. The surveyor is aware of this and is in the surveyor is aware of this and is in the process. It would be excluded from the process. It would be excluded from the easement.easement.

Approximate location of ½ acre home site(surveyed out & excluded from easement)



Karriker PropertyKarriker Property



MurphyMurphy

Closed on a conservation easement Closed on a conservation easement in October of 2006 on 122 acres in in October of 2006 on 122 acres in western Rowan Countywestern Rowan County

Her historic home was excluded from Her historic home was excluded from the CE, 1.9 acres surveyed outthe CE, 1.9 acres surveyed out

She’s now interested in conserving She’s now interested in conserving the home & the 1.9 acres around itthe home & the 1.9 acres around it

In green,Kannapolis Gamelands2,843 acres

In pink,Sally Murphy’s 122 acres

AerialsAerials

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

The historic Wood Grove houseThe historic Wood Grove house Built by Thomas Cowan around 1800Built by Thomas Cowan around 1800 On the National Register of Historic On the National Register of Historic

PlacesPlaces

Preservation Easements – Preservation Easements – Background InformationBackground Information

Very similar to conservation Very similar to conservation easements, but their principal easements, but their principal purpose is to protect a property with purpose is to protect a property with historic, architectural, or historic, architectural, or archeological significance.archeological significance.

““preservation covenants”, preservation covenants”, “preservation restrictions”, same “preservation restrictions”, same thing, different terminologything, different terminology

At the very least, we would protect At the very least, we would protect the exterior character (a “fascade the exterior character (a “fascade easement”), but many go beyond to easement”), but many go beyond to protect the interior features, the protect the interior features, the historic setting, & specific landscape historic setting, & specific landscape featuresfeatures

We are qualified to hold a We are qualified to hold a preservation easement and could get preservation easement and could get feedback from the State Historic feedback from the State Historic Property Office (SHPO), the National Property Office (SHPO), the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), etc. when approvals need to be etc. when approvals need to be grantedgranted

Have we done this before?Have we done this before?

Yes, we have a “Grant of Conservation Yes, we have a “Grant of Conservation Easement, Easement, Preservation AgreementPreservation Agreement, , and Development Rights” on Cooleemee and Development Rights” on Cooleemee Plantation. It specifically references it’s Plantation. It specifically references it’s listing of the National Register of Historic listing of the National Register of Historic Places & as a National Historic LandmarkPlaces & as a National Historic Landmark

This agreement may be slightly different, This agreement may be slightly different, more protective of the historic homemore protective of the historic home

TimelineTimeline

She’s been interested for a while, but She’s been interested for a while, but hasn’t looked into the details.hasn’t looked into the details.

This likely wouldn’t happen in 2008.This likely wouldn’t happen in 2008. Sally & I are meeting tomorrow, 9/26, Sally & I are meeting tomorrow, 9/26,

to discuss.to discuss.



NC Agricultural Development NC Agricultural Development Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Farmland Preservation (ADFP)

Trust FundTrust Fund

ADFP had $8 million for the 2007-ADFP had $8 million for the 2007-2008 cycle2008 cycle

They received requests for 93 They received requests for 93 projects & $29 millionprojects & $29 million

We applied for 6 projects We applied for 6 projects ($2,360,421 total), and were ($2,360,421 total), and were approved for 2 projects ($160,271 approved for 2 projects ($160,271 total)total)

LTCNC Approved ProjectsLTCNC Approved Projects

Knox Knox $25,000 for transactional costs of a $25,000 for transactional costs of a

donated easement, project valued at donated easement, project valued at $816,780$816,780

195 acres, livestock & grain production195 acres, livestock & grain production Rollans Rollans

$135,271 for a 25 year $135,271 for a 25 year term easementterm easement 271 acres, row crops & hay271 acres, row crops & hay

KnoxKnox

Rowan County, 194.64 acresRowan County, 194.64 acres Donated conservation easement, Donated conservation easement,

Transaction costs paid by NCADFPTransaction costs paid by NCADFP Farm has been in Knox family since Farm has been in Knox family since

1740s1740s Surrounded by protected landsSurrounded by protected lands Landowner will give us a $5,000 Landowner will give us a $5,000

stewardship endowmentstewardship endowment

Property Property BackgrounBackgroun

dd 194.64 acres194.64 acres Prime Prime

farmlandfarmland Duck pondDuck pond Livestock & Livestock &

grain grain production,production,

1 residence on 1 residence on the propertythe property


One reserved home site, location not One reserved home site, location not yet specified, but it will be surveyed yet specified, but it will be surveyed out.out.



Term EasementsTerm Easements A term easement is an easement for a

set number of years. When it expires, the fee is again whole.

Term easements do NOT qualify for IRS tax deductions

NC ADFP is encouraging term easements and had over $2 million available for the 2007-2008 cycle.

SWCD role? LTCNC role?

RollansRollans

Rowan CountyRowan County 271 acres 271 acres $135,271 for a 25 year $135,271 for a 25 year term term

easementeasement, no transaction costs paid, no transaction costs paid Row crops & HayRow crops & Hay Property is adjacent to a 40 acre Property is adjacent to a 40 acre

easement protected in 2005, easement protected in 2005, Webster FarmWebster Farm



Updates / General Updates / General DiscussionDiscussion

SpeightSpeight BittingerBittinger Cost Recovery PledgeCost Recovery Pledge RallyRally

Upcoming DatesUpcoming Dates

Priority Lands Committee Priority Lands Committee

December 4th, 2008December 4th, 2008

4pm, at The LandTrust for Central NC 4pm, at The LandTrust for Central NC or Conference Call optionor Conference Call option

AdjournAdjourn

Technology

Priority Lands September 25 2008