Created in 2020, Buncombe County’s “Ag & Land Resources” department is composed of Soil & Water Conservation District and Cooperative Extension. Components of the Soil & Water Conservation District include the Buncombe County Farmland Preservation program and the Environmental Educator program.
The mission of our department is to conserve the soil, water, and related natural resources of Buncombe County by providing education, information, technical assistance, and economic incentives to county residents and by establishing new programs in concert with other appropriate organizations to meet the changing needs of Buncombe County.
Over the next 2 months these articles will highlight one component of the Ag & Land Resources department, giving our readers a better understanding of the services available to them through our partnership with Buncombe County government.
N.C. Cooperative Extension and Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation were discussed in earlier articles and can be found Buncombe County Soil & Water.
This month’s focus is on Buncombe County’s Farmland Preservation program.
How does the Buncombe County Farmland Preservation program serve the citizens of Buncombe County?
With 1,074 farms within the county, our Farmland Preservation team works to ensure Buncombe’s agricultural sector remains economically viable.
In 1989, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners created the Farmland Preservation Ordinance, the first of its kind in all of North Carolina. This ordinance created the Agricultural Advisory Board, providing local farmers with a way to represent the interests of their community. Duties of this board include reviewing, making recommendations, and voting on applications for Voluntary Agricultural Districts, Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts and conservation easements. A second board, the Land Conservation Advisory Board, created in 2004, works with the county commissioners by funding voluntary land conservation easements with local non-profit land trust organizations to protect ecologically important parcels of land within the county.
Working with county commissioners, this work is based on three pillars:- Permanent Conservation Easements:
- A conservation easement is a legally enforceable agreement between the landowner and a conservation organization (land trust or soil and water district) in which the landowner gives up certain development rights and the conservation organization is responsible for enforcing and monitoring the easement terms. The purpose of these easements is to protect working farms and forests, and to protect conservation values like prime agricultural soils, water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic viewsheds and agricultural communities.
- Establishing Voluntary Agricultural Districts:
- These preservation tools recognize working farms and provide protection from non-farm development. By safeguarding agricultural lands, the cornerstones of our region–clean water, wildlife habitats, scenic views, and rural heritage are also protected.
Benefits of being designated an Agricultural District include:
- Increased recognition and awareness of the selected property being used for local agriculture
- Increased protection from nuisance lawsuits
- Increased eligibility for farmland preservation funds
- Public hearings required for proposed condemnation
- County-wide economic benefit
- Quality of Life
- Waiver of Water and sewer assessments
There are two types of Voluntary Agricultural Districts in Buncombe County.
- Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD):
A conservation agreement that offers temporary protection of theland. These agreements last for a 10 year time period but may be revoked by the landowner after a written request.
- Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD):
This conservation agreement also offers the same protections as a VAD, also for a 10 year time period. However, these agreementsare deeds recorded at the county’s Register of Deeds and cannotbe revoked during the 10-year time period. Buncombe County Farmland Preservation works in several ways to promote our county’s agricultural economic vitality and working farms.
- Farm Heritage Trail:
- The Farm Heritage Trail is a scenic driving or cycling trail through the rural communities of northwest Buncombe County offering an organized way for citizens and visitors to visit area farms. Farms along this route offer events, hikes, farm-to-table dinners, fun activities, and more.
- Visit NC Farms Website:
- A great way to connect with North Carolina farms, farmers markets, restaurants, and more. Find statewide Pick Your Own farms, activities and events through this agritourism website. Click Visit NC Farms to learn more.
- Friends of Agriculture Breakfast:
- A complimentary breakfast and long-standing tradition in Buncombe County designed to connect the local agricultural community with residents, policymakers, and area farmers.
Buncombe County’s Farmland Preservation Program is located at 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, NC 28806. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. We can be reached at 828-250-4785. Visit our website at Buncombe County Farmland Preservation.
See also:
Land Conservation in Buncombe County - An excellent resource explaining the importance of conserving land in Buncombe County.
As Long as the Grass Shall Grow - Learn the history of Cherokee land cessions and the formation of Buncombe County.
