Greene County Board of Commissioners Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinance
GREENE COUNTY — The Greene County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved an update to its Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinance, signaling a renewed effort to revitalize a program that has been "defunct" since 2018 with no land currently enrolled. The update paves the way for a new promotional campaign to encourage local farmers and landowners to participate.
Jessica Anderson, who presented the update, explained that the purpose of such agricultural districts is to "increase identity and pride in the agricultural community and its way of life" and to "decrease the likelihood of legal disputes, such as nuisance actions between farm owners and their neighbors, and other negative impacts on properly managed farms". She emphasized that the program is "completely voluntary" for landowners. The ordinance also aims to "promote agricultural values and the general welfare of the county" and "encourage the economic and financial health of agriculture, horticulture, and forestry".
The necessity for the ordinance update arose from changes in state law regarding the definition of a bona fide farm. Key changes in the updated ordinance include:
• A revised definition of "qualifying farmland".
• The elimination of a requirement for each district to have a representative on the agricultural advisory board, though the board will still consist of at least nine voting members representing the districts, with a majority actively engaged in agriculture.
• A clarification that record notice must be provided on properties within a half-mile of any tract enrolled in the program, often through GIS mapping.
With the updated ordinance now approved, the NC Cooperative Extension Greene County office will spearhead a new initiative to promote the program to farmers and landowners. The goal is to re-engage the agricultural community and encourage enrollment in the voluntary districts. The previous program had seen no valid land enrolled since 2018.
The Commissioners' vote to approve the updated ordinance and appoint proposed board members was unanimous, following a motion by Vice-Chairman Jerry Jones and seconded by Commissioner Ray Johnson. Vice-Chairman Jones acknowledged that certain aspects of the ordinance were challenging to understand, specifically mentioning the sections related to sewer and water lines, but thanked staff for providing clarification.
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