(A) Establishment. The PDR Committee is hereby established, as follows:
(1) The Committee shall consist of five or more members appointed by the County Board of Supervisors. Each member shall be either a property owner in the county, or a member of a conservation easement holding agency and conservation organization or both. Committee members should have expertise in one or more of the following fields: land and water conservation or management, farming, forestry, horticulture, conservation biology, and planning.
(2) The initial terms of the members shall be as follows: one-third serves for three years; one- third serves for two years; and the serve for one year. After the initial term, each term runs three years.
(3) The members of the Committee shall serve without pay, but the Board may, in its discretion, reimburse members for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his/her duties.
(4) The Committee shall elect a Chairman, Vice-chairman and Secretary at its first meeting each calendar year. The Secretary need not be a member of the Committee.
(5) The Board will appoint a non-voting technical advisor with agricultural experience.
(6) The PDR Program Administrator shall be an ex officio member of the Committee.
(B) Powers and duties. The PDR Committee shall have the powers and duties to:
(1) Help the PDR Program Administrator promote the program to the public and county landowners.
(2) Review the ranked applications and supporting documentation and approve each pool of properties recommended to the Board of Supervisors for purchase of development rights. A majority of the members is required for approval. Evaluations and calculation of scores for each parcel will be conducted according to the current Northampton County PDR Program Procedures. Assignment of points will be done by county staff.
(3) Annually review the program's eligibility and ranking criteria and recommend to the Administrator any changes needed to maintain the program's consistency with the Comprehensive Plan, or to improve the administration, implementation and effectiveness of the program.
(4) Establish procedures for the conduct of Committee meetings.
(5) Determine standard provisions and restrictions for deed easements.
(6) Members of the Committee will abstain from reviewing or ranking any parcel in which he or she has a financial interest.
(Ord. passed 7-11-2005; Am. Ord. passed 6-11- 2007; Am. Ord. passed 11-14-2007; Am. Ord. passed 5-14-2013)