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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAFD201400002 Staff Report 2014-06-05COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE STAFF REPORT Project Name: Staff: Scott Clark AFD2014 -00002 North Fork Moorman's River District Review Planning Commission Public Hearing: Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: June 3, 2014 TBA Proposal: Periodic review of the North Fork Comprehensive Plan Designation: Moorman's River AF 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 When a district is reviewed, land within the district may be withdrawn at the owner's discretion by filing a written notice with the Board at any time before the Board acts to continue, modify, or terminate the district.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 -02 NORTH FORK MOORMAN'S RIVER DISTRICT REVIEW The Albemarle County Code currently contains this description of the North Fork Moorman's River District: Sec. 3 - 223 North Fork Moorman's River Agricultural and Forestal District. The district known as the "North Fork Moorman's River Agricultural and Forestal District" consists of the following described properties: Tax map 4, parcels 1, 2, 3, 4. This district, created on November 17, 1993 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 at the headwaters of the North Fork Moorman's River, adjacent to Shenandoah National Park (see Attachment A). The district includes 270.5 acres. No withdrawal requests have yet been received. District History: The district was created in November, 1993 with four parcels totaling 270.5 acres. The District has remained unchanged since that time. Agricultural and Forestal District Sianificance: The entire 270.5 acres of the North Fork Moorman's River District have soils listed as particularly important for forestry in the Comprehensive Plan. Land Use other than Aariculture and Forestr: There are no dwellings in the District. Local Development Patterns: The District primarily consists of steep forest, with a few small open areas. There are no parcels in the District that are under conservation easements. The entire District is in the County's use -value taxation program, indicating 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 unanimously recommended renewal of the North Fork Moorman's River District for another 10 -year period. Staff requests that the Planning Commission make the same recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. Attachments: A. North Fork Moorman's River AF District Map 2 h� r s -d .. �. is .J • - _ _. _� �' . f •��i tt i µ{ R North Fork Moorman's RiverAFD F— 1 Shenandoah National Park ` 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 lllllllllllllllllllllMiles AFD2014 -00002 North Fork ? loonnan's River Review 9 1