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Agriculture Advisory Board Meeting

Chatham County · Agriculture Advisory Board
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm · Cooperative Extension Conference Room - Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, 1192 US 64 Business, Pittsboro, LEFT ENTRANCE TO AGRICULTURE & CONFERENCE CENTER Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312

Advisory board meeting Farmland and open spaceEnvironment and sustainabilityGrants and outside fundingState legislative agendaWater and sewerZoning text amendment

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved IIIApproval of December 10, 2024 Meeting Notes Approved unanimously
  2. Approved VVAD application review Approved unanimously, one member abstaining for a conflict of interest

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Chatham County's Agriculture Advisory Board heard a state geologist on the county's groundwater on 11 March 2025, approved two voluntary agricultural district applications covering 99.35 acres, and recommended three farmland preservation projects covering 366 acres to the commissioners.

The geologist said a groundwater vulnerability study could identify areas where new wells should not go. Nobody in North Carolina is doing one, and it would be a way to steer development away from fragile groundwater.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Eight of nine members attended. The state mapped Chatham's geology because of how fast it is developing. Board members agreed the public needs to understand how vulnerable the county's groundwater is, and the chair said the county should be accountable for responsible well permitting. Documenting where existing wells are and what they yield would be the next step; the county has the locations but does not publish them for the public or for developers. One member said monitoring groundwater use could end in restrictions on farmers, who are heavy users.

Two voluntary agricultural district applications covering 99.35 acres passed unanimously, with one member abstaining for a conflict of interest. The board then recommended three farmland preservation projects covering 366 acres, plus a $75,000 operational support grant to the Triangle Land Conservancy, matching last year's award.

The Planning Board liaison reported that the Unified Development Ordinance is still in limbo, overridden by state law, with at least twenty bills filed to undo that law. The sticking point is the ban on downzoning.

How the votes went

The December minutes, the two voluntary agricultural district applications, and the slate of farmland preservation projects all passed unanimously. One member abstained on the district applications for a conflict of interest.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Chatham County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (8)

Procedural · 3Discussion item · 2Minutes approval · 1Presentation · 1Staff or committee report · 1
  1. I Call to Order
    Procedural
  2. II Roll Call
    Procedural
    Eight members present, one absent
  3. III Approval of December 10, 2024 Meeting Notes
    Minutes approval
    Approved unanimously
  4. IV Guest presentation: agricultural groundwater in Chatham County
    Presentation Environment and sustainabilityFarmland and open spaceWater and sewer
    A state geologist on the county's mapped geology and on how a groundwater vulnerability study could steer development away from fragile areas.
  5. V VAD application review
    Discussion item Farmland and open space
    Two voluntary agricultural district applications covering 99.35 acres, both found to qualify.
    Approved unanimously, one member abstaining for a conflict of interest
  6. VI Farmland preservation grant application review
    Discussion item Farmland and open spaceGrants and outside funding
    Three projects covering 366 acres, with a $75,000 operational support grant to the Triangle Land Conservancy.
    Recommended to the commissioners unanimously
  7. VII New Business: Agribusiness Council and Planning Board updates
    Staff or committee report Farmland and open spaceState legislative agendaZoning text amendment
    The development ordinance is still blocked by state law, with at least twenty bills filed to undo it; the sticking point is the ban on downzoning.
  8. VIII Next Meeting
    Procedural
    Tuesday, June 10

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