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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAFD201400003 Staff Report 2014-06-05COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE STAFF REPORT Project Name: Staff: Scott Clark AFD2014 -00003 Pasture Fence Mountain District Review Planning Commission Public Hearing: Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: June 3, 2014 TBA Proposal: Periodic review of the Pasture Fence Comprehensive Plan Designation: Mountain 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 When a district is reviewed, land within the district may be withdrawn at the owner's discretion by filing a written notice with the Board at any time before the Board acts to continue, modify, or terminate the district.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 -03 PASTURE FENCE MOUNTAIN DISTRICT REVIEW The Albemarle County Code currently contains this description of the Pasture Fence Mountain District: Sec. 3 - 225 Pasture Fence Mountain Agricultural and Forestal District. The district known as the "Pasture Fence Mountain Agricultural and Forestal District" consists of the following described properties: Tax map 13, parcels 1, 5, 8, 10, 12. 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 on Pasture Fence Mountain in the northwestern portion of the County, just to the east of the North Fork Moorman's River (see Attachment A). The district currently includes 1,247 acres. No withdrawal requests have yet been received. District Histo The District was created in November, 1993, with five parcels totaling 870 acres. One parcel of 453.5 acres was added to the District in 1994. One parcel of 77 acres was removed from the District in 2004. Agricultural and Forestal District Significance: Of the 1,247 acres in the Pasture Fence Mountain District, 1,171 acres have soils listed as particularly important for forestry in the Comprehensive Plan. Land Use other than Agriculture and Forestry_: In addition to agricultural and forestal uses, the Pasture Fence Mountain District includes one dwelling. Local Development Patterns: The District primarily consists of forest. There are no parcels in the District that are under conservation easement. A total of 1,131 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 Pasture Fence Mountain District for another 10 -year period. Staff requests that the Planning Commission make the same recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. Attachments: A. Pasture Fence Mountain AF District Map 2 r Pasture Fence Mountain AFD A { � Shenandoah National Park ? 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles AFD2014 -00003 Pasture Fence Mountain AFD Review 9 1 r Pasture Fence Mountain AFD A { � Shenandoah National Park ? 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles AFD2014 -00003 Pasture Fence Mountain AFD Review 9