Davie County Voluntary Agricultural District
The purpose of the Davie County Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) Program is to promote agricultural values, the general welfare of the county, and more specifically increase identity and pride in the agricultural community and its way of life. To encourage the economic and financial health of agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. To decrease the likelihood of legal disputes, such as nuisance actions between farm owners and their neighbors.
Benefits
- Recognition and public education - Receives two signs to post for identifying the farm as a member of the District.
- Upon certification of qualifying farmland and designation of real property as a District, the title to that qualifying farmland and real property which is contained in the Davie County Land Records System shall be changed to include a notice reasonably calculated to alert a person researching the title of a particular tract that such tract is located within one-half aerial mile of a voluntary agricultural district.
- Waiver of water and sewer assessments, when these services are not used on land within the District.
- Public hearings required for proposed condemnation - The Agricultural Advisory Board will convene a public hearing if land in a District is considered for any public project that might condemn land.
Qualifications
- Be used for bona fide farm purposes, as that term is defined in G.S. 106-743(a) and G.S. 160D-903
- Be managed, if highly erodible land exists on the farm, in accordance with the Natural Resources Soil Conservation Service-defined erosion control practices
- Be the subject of a conservation agreement, as defined in N.C. G.S. Sec. 121-35, between the local government administering the VAD program and the owner of such land that prohibits non-farm use or development of such land for a period of at least 10 years, except for the creation of not more than three lots that meet applicable county and municipal zoning and subdivision regulations. The form of the conservation agreement shall be approved by the Agricultural Advisory Board created under G.S. 106-739
- Be located in the unincorporated area of Davie County, unless there is an agreement with a municipality through which the county is authorized to exercise the authority of the municipality on its behalf
Voluntary Ag District Application
