HomeMy WebLinkAboutAFD202200001 Staff Report 2023-01-23COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
STAFFREPORT
Project Name: Staff: Scott Clark, Senior Planner II
AFD202200001 Hatton AFD Addition
Agricultural and Forestal District Advisory Committee Meeting: October 17, 2022
Planning Commission Public Hearing: I Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
PROPOSAL
The Albemarle County Code currently contains this description of the Hatton District:
Sec. 3-219 - Hatton Agricultural and Forestal District.
The district known as the "Hatton Agricultural and Forestal District' was created and continues as
follows:
A. Date created. The district was created on June 29, 1983.
B. Lands within the district. The district is composed of the following described lands, identified by
parcel identification number:
1. Tax map 135: parcels 13, 13A, 1313, 1413, 15, 15A, 15C, 17, 18, 19, 22, 22A, 22C, 22C 1,
22C2.
2. Tax map 136: parcels 2A, 613, 8H, 9A2, 913, 9C, 9D1, 9E.
C. Review. The district is reviewed once every ten years and will next be reviewed prior to September 1,
2031.
The District is located on the north bank of the James River, near Warren. It now includes 23 parcels and 859.78 acres.
This proposal would add one parcel to the District (see attached map):
Requested Additions
Parcel
Acres
Acres of Important Soils
Development Potential
136-9H2
82.43
67.4
1 remaining development right
The property consists of both open and wooded land, and has no dwellings. During the previous district review, this property
was withdrawn from the District. The landowners subdivided a 3.61-acre parcel from the property, and are now applying to
add the larger parcel back into the District.
ANALYSIS OF THE ADDITION REQUEST
Section 3-201(F) of the County Code states that the Agricultural -Forestal Districts Committee and the Planning Commission
shall apply the following criteria in their respective reviews of each application:
The agricultural and forestal significance of land within the district or addition and in areas adjacent thereto; in
judging the agricultural and forestal significance of land, any relevant agricultural or forestal maps may be
considered, as well as soil, climate, topography, other natural factors, markets for agricultural and forestal
products, the extent and nature of farm structures, the present status of agriculture and forestry, anticipated trends
in agricultural economic conditions and such other factors as may be relevant.
The 82.43-acre property has 67.4 acres (81.7 percent) with soils that are rated as Prime or Locally Important for
agriculture in the Comprehensive Plan.
The presence of any significant agricultural lands or significant forestal lands within the district and in areas
adjacent thereto that are not now in active agricultural or forestal production, considering the maps, factors,
markets, and other information described in subsection (F)(1);
The District and the surrounding land are mostly in open agricultural land and forest.
The nature and extent of land uses other than active farming or forestry within the district and in areas adjacent
thereto;
The area surrounding the property has seen some conversion of rural land to residential uses, but there are still
significant areas of large rural parcels. The Districts in this area help to protect rural land -use patterns.
Local development patterns and needs;
The area is a partially -developed rural area, with both large farm and forest parcels and some smaller residential
parcels. The Comprehensive Plan calls for protection of rural land uses and natural resources.
The comprehensive plan and the applicable zoning regulations;
The District is entirely designated as Rural Areas in the Comprehensive Plan, and the parcels included in the District
are zoned RA Rural Areas. As the property proposed for addition shares the same designations, its inclusion in a
conservation program is appropriate under the Comprehensive Plan.
The environmental benefits of retaining the lands in the district for agricultural and forestal uses;
Protecting and preserving this land in an Agricultural and Forestal District will help protect forest and productive
farm land, which the Comprehensive Plan and the Rural Areas section of the Zoning Ordinance seek to preserve.
Conservation of this area will help maintain the environmental integrity of the County and aid in the protection of
ground and surface water and agricultural soils, and wildlife habitat.
Whether any parcel has one or more development rights that would allow the creation of one or more parcels less
than twenty-one (21) acres in size; in considering whether to include any parcel in a district, the policy of the county
is to not include any parcel determined to have no development rights and cannot be further divided to create one
or more parcels less than twenty-one (21) acres in size; and
The parcel has one unused development right, making it eligible for addition to a District.
Any other matter which may be relevant
Staff found no other relevant matters.
Staff recommends that the Committee recommend approval of the proposed addition.
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