The Union County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 20 approved the purchase of four conservation easements and accepted them into the county’s Land Preservation and Easement Program, allocating roughly $854,180 from the county general fund to acquire partial interests in the properties.

Alan Aldridge, director of the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District, told the board that the county opened an application cycle in June and received 28 applications covering nearly 1,200 acres. Staff ranked the proposals, and four projects were recommended by the district and the county agricultural advisory board for board consideration.

The four easements described in staff materials are:

- Easement 902026001: 43 acres (37 acres forest, 6 acres grassland) off Lansford Road — total conservation easement value about $282,000; county purchase cost $25,380 (about 9% purchase; the remainder is donation).

- Easement 902026002: 65 acres off Old Gold Mine Road — 100% forest; total easement value about $576,000; county purchase cost about $288,250 (50% purchase, 50% donation); includes roughly 1,000 feet of Salem Creek frontage.

- Easement 902026003: 65 acres adjacent to 902026002 off Old Gold Mine Road — 100% forest; total conservation easement value stated as $631,700 with a county purchase cost around $315,850 (50% purchase).

- Easement 902026004: 55 acres off Belt Mill Road — 100% forest; total conservation easement value stated as $631,000 with county purchase cost about $315,850 (50% purchase).

Aldridge said the selected properties are in voluntary agricultural districts and that staff prioritized contiguous parcels when possible to build larger preserved blocks. The combined purchase cost and transactional expenses, plus a $100,000 contingency held by staff to cover potential future donation-matching needs, leaves the program with about $100,000 in available funds immediately after the purchases, Aldridge said; he noted staff may request additional funding from rollback or other county sources next year.

Board members asked clarifying questions about ownership and contiguity; Aldridge confirmed the Old Gold Mine Road parcels are adjacent but owned by different landowners, and that the north parcel is a third, separate owner.

A motion to approve the allocation of funds from budget line 101154105630115 in the amount of $854,180 and to accept the four easements into the county program passed by voice vote after board discussion. Staff said the pilot projects and selected easements are in survey and appraisal phases and that they expect closings to occur in the first part of next year.