HomeMy WebLinkAboutAFD201100008 Staff Report 2011-11-16COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE
STAFF REPORT SUMMARY
Project Name:
Staff: Scott Clark, Senior Planner
AFD201100008 Keswick Addition
Locally Important
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing:
November 15, 2011
TBA
Proposal: Addition to the Keswick Agricultural and
Comprehensive Plan Designation:
Forestal District
Rural Areas
RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission recommend approval of the addition to the Keswick
Agricultural and Forestal District.
The Albemarle County Code currently contains this description of the Keswick District:
Sec. 3 -219 Keswick Agricultural and Forestal District.
The district known as the "Keswick Agricultural and Forestal District" consists of the following
described properties: Tax map 48, parcels 30, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D, 30E; tax map 63, parcels 39, 39A,
39B, 40, 42A; tax map 64, parcels 5, 7, 7A, 8A, 9, 10 10A, 10B, IOC, 10D, 11 12, 13, 13A, 14; tax map
65, parcels 13, 31C1, 310, 31D, 32; tax map 79, parcel 46; tax map 80, parcels 1, 2, 2A, 2C, 3A, 3A1,
3G, 311, 3I, 4, 61D, 88, 114A, 115, 164, 169, 169A, 169C, 169C1, 174, 176, 176A, 182, 182A, 183,
183A, 190, 192, 194; tax map 81, parcels 1, 8A, 15A6, 15B, 63. This district, created on September 3,
1986 for not more than 10 years and last reviewed on November 3, 2004, shall next be reviewed prior to
November 3, 2014.
(10- 12 -94; 4- 12 -95; 8- 13 -97; Code 1988, § 2.1 -4(e); Ord. 98 -A(1), 8 -5 -98; Ord. 04 -3(3), 11 -3 -04; Ord.
09 -3(4), 12 -2 -09; Ord. 10 -3(3), 12 -1 -10)
The District was created in 1986 and originally included 38 parcels and 4,622 acres. The District now includes 65
parcels and approximately 6,742 acres.
Agricultural and Forestal District Significance: The district has the following important soils, as designated in the
Comprehensive Plan:
Prime
1803.238 acres
26.7%
Locally Important
2198.757 acres
32.6%
Unique
698.31 acres
10.4%
Land Use other than Agriculture and Forestry: In addition to agricultural and forestal uses, the Keswick District
includes approximately 41 dwellings (secondary dwellings may not appear in this count).
Local Development Patterns: The area include many large farms, as well as some smaller residential lots. Thirty -
seven parcels in the District are under conservation easement (Attachment A).
Comprehensive Plan Designation and Zoning Districts: The Keswick District is entirely designated as Rural
Areas in the Comprehensive Plan, and the parcels included in the District are zoned RA Rural Areas. The parcels
adjoining the parcels in the District are zoned RA Rural Areas as well (Attachment A).
Environmental Benefits: The District includes woodland and open agricultural land. Protecting and preserving
these properties in an Agricultural and Forestal District will help protect forest and productive farm land, which
the Comprehensive Plan and Rural Areas Zoning Ordinances seek to preserve. 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, and wildlife habitat.
Time Period: The Keswick District is currently on a 10 -year review cycle. The District is scheduled to be
reviewed prior to November 3, 2014.
Proposal:
One application has been submitted requesting to add two parcels totaling 57.27 acres to the Keswick Agricultural
and Forestal District, in accordance with Chapter 3, Sections 3 -101, 3 -201, 3 -203 and 3 -215 of the Albemarle
County Code, which allows for additions of land to Agricultural and Forestal Districts.
The parcels (Tax Map 81, Parcels 74 and 79) are located approximately 0.75 miles southeast of Route 22 in
Keswick (Attachment A).
The parcels are zoned Rural Areas with agricultural, forestal, and fishery uses as the preferred land use and
includes a residential density of .5 unit per acre.
Advisory Committee Recommendation:
At their meeting on September 19, 2011, the Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of the
proposed addition to the Keswick district.
Attachments:
A. Keswick AFD Map
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