(A) Creation. The Board of Commissioners shall establish an Agricultural Advisory Board to implement the provisions of this program.
(B) Membership. The Advisory Board shall consist of no less than five regular members and two alternate members appointed by the Board of Commissioners.
(C) Membership requirements.
(1) Each Advisory Board member, except those serving in an ex officio capacity, shall be a Davie County resident or landowner.
(2) At least four of the members shall be actively engaged in farming, horticulture, and/or forestry. Of the members actively engaged in farming, horticulture, and/or forestry there shall be at least one such member from each agricultural district or Enhanced Agricultural District in the county. This determination shall be made without reference to ex officio members.
(3) The members actively engaged in farming, horticulture, and/or forestry as well as other members shall be selected for appointment by the Board of Commissioners from the names of individuals submitted to the Board of Commissioners by the Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, the county office of the State Cooperative Extension, the U.S. Farm Service Agency County Committee, nonprofit agricultural organizations, conservation organizations, agribusiness, horticultural businesses, forestry businesses, and the public at large.
(4) Additional members may be appointed to the Board in an ex officio capacity from the Soil and Water Conservation District, State Cooperative Extension, the U.S. Farm Service Agency, or other agencies, as deemed necessary by the Board of Commissioners. Members serving in an ex officio capacity shall neither vote nor count toward quorum requirements.
(D) Tenure. The initial Board is to consist of two appointees for terms of one year; two appointees for terms of two years; and three appointees for terms of three years. Thereafter, all appointments are to be for terms of three years, with reappointment permitted.
(E) Vacancies. Any vacancy on the Advisory Board is to be filled by the Board of Commissioners for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(F) Removal. Any member of the Advisory Board may be removed by the Board of Commissioners upon a two-thirds vote of the Commissioners. No cause for removal shall be required.
(G) Funding. The per diem compensation, if any, of the members of the Advisory Board may be fixed by the Board of Commissioners and funds may be appropriated to the Advisory Board to perform its duties.
(H) Advisory Board procedure.
(1) Chairperson. The Advisory Board shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson each year at its first meeting of the fiscal year. The Chairperson shall preside over all regular or special meetings of the Advisory Board. In the absence or disability of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall preside and shall exercise all the powers of the Chairperson. Additional officers may be elected as needed.
(2) Determination of procedure. The Advisory Board may adopt rules of procedure not inconsistent with this chapter or with other provisions of state law.
(3) Advisory Board year. The Advisory Board shall use the county fiscal year as its meeting year.
(4) Meetings. Meetings of the Advisory Board shall be held at the call of the Chairperson and at such other times as the Advisory Board may specify in its rules of procedure or upon the request of at least a majority of the Advisory Board membership. A meeting shall be held at least annually and notice of any meetings to the members shall be in writing, unless otherwise agreed to by all Advisory Board members. Meeting dates and times shall be posted as far in advance as possible on the door of the meeting site and by advertisement in local newspapers or by other means of public dissemination of the meeting dates as may be agreed upon by at least a majority of the Advisory Board membership. All meetings shall be open to the public.
(5) Majority vote and quorum requirements. All issues shall be decided by a majority vote of the members of the Advisory Board present, except as otherwise stated herein. A QUORUM is defined as at least two-thirds of the voting members in attendance. No business may be conducted by the Advisory Board without a quorum present.
(6) Records. The Advisory Board shall keep minutes of the proceedings showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be filed in the office of the Advisory Board, or its designee, and shall be a public record.
(7) Administrative. The Advisory Board may contract with the County Cooperative Extension office to serve the Board for record keeping, correspondence, application procedures under this, and whatever services the Board needs to complete its duties.
(I) Duties. The Advisory Board shall:
(1) Review and approve or disapprove applications of landowners for enrollment of qualified farmland, horticultural land, or forestland in either Voluntary Agricultural Districts or Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts;
(2) Make recommendations or decisions concerning the establishment and modification of Agricultural Districts. The Board of County Commissioners may make decisions regarding the establishment and modification of Voluntary Agricultural Districts or may delegate that authority to the Agricultural Advisory Board. If the authority is delegated to the Agricultural Advisory Board, the Agricultural Advisory Board’s decisions shall be appealable to the Board of County Commissioners by an owner of land that has been denied enrollment in a Voluntary Agricultural District or has been removed from a Voluntary Agricultural District by the Agricultural Advisory Board;
(a) Execute agreements with landowners necessary for enrollment of land in a Voluntary Agricultural District;
(3) Conduct public hearings;
(4) Advise the Board of Commissioners on projects, programs, or issues affecting the agricultural economy and agricultural, horticultural, or forestry activities within the county that will affect agricultural districts;
(5) Review and make recommendations concerning proposed amendments to this chapter;
(6) Develop and maintain a draft countywide farmland protection plan as defined in G.S. § 106-744(e);
(7) Study additional methods of protection for farming, horticulture, forestry, and the attendant land base, and make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners; and
(8) Perform other agricultural, horticultural, and forestry-related tasks or duties assigned by the Board of Commissioners.
(a) The members of the Agricultural Advisory Board shall be chosen to provide the broadest possible representation of the geographical regions of the local government and to represent, to the extent possible, all segments of agricultural production existing within the local government. A majority of the members of the Agricultural Advisory Board shall be actively engaged in agriculture.
(b) The Agricultural Advisory Board may, at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners, utilize an existing local government agency for the purpose of administration, record keeping, and other related tasks or duties.
(1996 Code, § 157.05) (Ord. passed 1-7-2008; Ord. passed - -2018; Ord. passed 3-7-2022)