(A) Record notice of proximity to a voluntary or an enhanced voluntary agricultural district.
(1) Procedure.
(a) Upon certification of qualifying farmland, the Warren County Register of Deeds shall file a notarized copy of said property in the land records. To provide notice to alert a person researching the particular tract is located within one-half aerial mile of a tract within the district, the Register of Deeds shall also maintain a separate file with copies of all such tracts in the county. In addition, signs will be posted in the Register of Deeds Office alerting the public of the existence of the Voluntary Agricultural Districts in the county, accompanied by a map showing their locations. This map will also be available electronically as an additional layer in the county’s GIS mapping system.
(b) VAD Conservation Agreement is not required to be recorded under G.S. § 121-41(c) of the Conservation and Historic Preservation Agreements Act. An EVAD Conservation Agreement must be recorded under G.S. § 121-41(c) of the Conservation and Historic Preservation Agreements Act.
(2) Limit of liability. In no event shall the county or any of its officers, employees, members of the Advisory Board, or agents be held liable in damages for any misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance occurring in good faith in connection with the duties or obligations imposed by this section.
(3) No cause of action. In no event shall any cause of action arise out of the failure of a person researching the title of a particular tract to report to any person the proximity of the tract to a qualifying farm or district or enhanced district as defined in this chapter.
(B) Geographic information system. Voluntary districts and enhanced districts shall be mapped in the county geographic information system maintained by the Warren County GIS Administrator. Once completed, this information should be made available publicly and to any agency or office the Advisory Board deems appropriate.
(B) Posting of notice. The following notice, of a size and form suitable for posting, shall be posted in the Register of Deeds Office, and any other office or agency the Advisory Board deems necessary:
“Warren County has established districts and enhanced districts to protect and preserve agricultural lands and activities. These districts have been developed and mapped by the county to inform all purchasers of real property that certain agricultural and forestry activities, including but not limited to pesticide spraying, manure spreading, machinery and truck operation, livestock operations, sawing, burning, and other common farming activities may occur in these districts and enhanced districts any time during the day or night. Maps and information on the location and establishment of these districts and enhanced districts can be obtained from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Office, the Soil and Water Conservation District Office, the Register of Deeds Office, the Warren County Planning Office, or the Natural Resources Conservation Service Office.”
(C) Signage. Signs identifying parcels enrolled in an agricultural district may be placed on enrolled parcels at the discretion of the owners. Signs shall not be placed along the right-of-way of any state-maintained road.
(Ord. passed 4-2-2007; Ord. passed 4-6-2009; Ord. passed 6-7-2021)