HomeMy WebLinkAboutAFD201400001 Staff Report 2014-06-05COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
STAFF REPORT
Project Name:
AFD2014- 00OOlEastham Review
Staff. Scott Clark
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
June 3, 2014
TBA
Proposal: Periodic review of the Eastham AF
Comprehensive Plan Designation:
District.
Rural Areas
Periodic Review of Agricultural and Forestal Districts
As established in the Code of Virginia, a district may continue indefinitely, but it must be reviewed by the
County not more than every 10 years to determine whether the district should be continued. Before being
considered by the Board of Supervisors, a district is reviewed by the County's Agricultural and Forestal
District Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission. Both the Advisory Committee and the
Planning Commission provide recommendations to the Board as to whether the district should be
terminated, modified or continued.
Once it has received the recommendations of the Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission, the
Board conducts a public hearing. After the public hearing, the Board may terminate, modify or continue
the district. If the Board continues the district, it may impose conditions on the district different from
those imposed on the district when it was created or last reviewed. Landowners within a district receive
notice of this process, including notice of any proposed different conditions.
When a district is reviewed, land within the district may be withdrawn at the owner's discretion by filing
a written notice with the Board at any time before the Board acts to continue, modify, or terminate the
district.
AFD 2014 -01 EASTHAM DISTRICT REVIEW
The Albemarle County Code currently contains this description of the Eastham District:
Sec. 3 - 212 Eastham Agricultural and Forestal District.
The district known as the " Eastham Agricultural and Forestal District" consists of the following
described properties: Tax map 46, parcels 91B, 91C, 91E; tax map 63, parcels 1, 1A, lAl, 2, 4,
14G, 14H, 14I, 26, 26A, 27, 28, 28A, 30F, 30G, 41A, 41A1 , 41A2. This district, created on
October 2, 1985 for not more than 10 years and last reviewed on April 14, 2004, shall next be
reviewed prior to April 14, 2014.
The District is located along Route 20, just south of the intersection with Proffitt Road (see Attachment
A), and includes 1,001 acres. No withdrawal requests have yet been received.
District History:
The district was created in 1985 with a total of 17 parcels and 898 acres.
One parcel of 2.092 acres was added in 1997.
Three parcels totaling 10 1. 5 acres were added in 2009.
No parcels have been removed from the District since it was created in 1985.
Agricultural and Forestal District Significance: Of the 1,001 acres in the Eastham District, 790 acres have
soils listed as particularly important for agriculture in the Comprehensive Plan.
Land Use other than Aariculture and Forestry: In addition to agricultural and forestal uses, the Eastham
District includes approximately 26 dwellings. (This count includes all addressable structures in the
District, and so may include any barns or other large structures with addresses.)
Local Development Patterns: The District primarily consists of forest and open pasture. There are seven
parcels in the District, totaling 587 acres, that are under conservation easements. A total of 938.8 acres in
the District are in the County's use -value taxation program, indicating that they are in agricultural,
forestal, or open -space use.
Comprehensive Plan Designation and Zoning Districts: The District is entirely designated as Rural Areas
in the Comprehensive Plan, and the parcels included in the District are zoned RA Rural Areas
Environmental Benefits: Conservation of this area will help maintain the environmental integrity of the
County and aids in the protection of ground and surface water, agricultural soils, mountain resources,
critical slopes, and wildlife habitat.
Withdrawal: Landowners may withdraw their parcels from districts by right during a renewal at any time
before the Board of Supervisors takes final action to continue, modify, or terminate the district.
Landowners were notified of the renewal by certified mail on March 21, 2014.
Staff Recommendation: On April 14, 2014, the Agricultural- Forestal Districts Advisory Committee
recommended renewal of the Eastham District for another 10 -year period. Staff requests that the Planning
Commission make the same recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
Attachments:
A. Eastham AF District Map
2
FD2014 -00001 Easth am Review