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Overview
Each year,
landowners may file by February 1st to create a
new Agricultural and Forestal District or to add parcels to
any existing Agricultural and Forestal District and the
Board considers these applications for new districts and
additions.
The
Marshall/Warrenton Agricultural and Forestal District
currently contains 169 parcels totaling 12,510.787 acres and
will run until June 30, 2012.
Criteria
for Evaluating Applications
The Code
of Virginia also establishes standards to be considered
in determining whether or not to include land in an
agricultural and forestal district. These broad standards
include:
- The
agricultural and forestal significance of the land and
adjacent land;
- The
presence of any significant agricultural or forestal
lands within the district or adjacent areas that are not
now in active agricultural or forestal production;
- The
nature and extent of land uses other than active farming
or forestry within the district and in adjacent areas;
- Local
development patterns and needs;
- The
comprehensive plan and, if applicable, the zoning
regulations;
- The
environmental benefits of retaining the lands in
agricultural and forestal uses; and
- Any
other relevant matters.
The Code
further states that “in judging the agricultural and
forestal significance of land . . . 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” may be
considered.
On March 8,
2007, the Board of Supervisors revised the policy on parcels
25 acres or smaller in agricultural and forestal districts.
The current policy conditions are:
1. No parcel less than five (5) acres in size shall be added to an
agricultural and forestal district.
2. Parcels from five (5) acres to 25 acres in size may be included
in the agricultural and forestal district, provided that:
a.
The parcel is under a perpetual conservation or open
space easement held for public benefit.
or
b.
The parcel is under the same or family ownership as
other parcels which together comprise a contiguous tract of
at least 25 acres. Such groups of parcels shall be
evaluated for inclusion in the District under the same
criteria established for parcels 25 acres or greater in
size.
Property
The
applicants have requested that three parcels totaling 31.66
acres be added to the District. The property is located on
Carters Run Road in Marshall. The applicants have indicated
that the property is operated by the owners as a part-time
farm, producing orchids and honey valued at several hundred
dollars in the last year. Cattle (2) are also located on
the property for personal use. The applicant also indicated
that they are in the process of replanting trees (oaks and
persimmons) for future lumber and fruit crops.
Overview
of Property
The
applicants applied last year to be added to the District but
were denied because each of the parcels proposed to be
included in the District were less than 25 acres in size,
they were subject to the Board of Supervisors’ 1990 policy
requiring that the parcels be either: A) in an open space
easement or B) part of a working farm under common
ownership, the remainder of which is in or being added to
the District. There was no open space easement on any of
the parcels and the properties did not qualify for inclusion
in the District under the 1990 Board policy due to the
limited level of agricultural activity that occurred on the
property.
Two of these three adjoining parcels
are entirely wooded and the third is partially wooded.
There is limited floodplain along the rear of the
properties.
The
partially wooded parcel contains 11.0 acres and is the only
parcel with any structures, to include, according to
Commission of Revenue records, a house, two sheds (480
sq.ft. and 120 sq.ft.), a barn (1024 sq.ft.) and a small
greenhouse (334 sq.ft.). The Fauquier County Soil Survey
shows the property to predominantly have the following soil
types:
|
Soil Type |
Soil Name |
Characteristics |
Potential
Agricultural Uses |
|
53C |
Glenelg loan soil |
Very deep, well drained,
micaceous, dark brown loamy soil; high erosion
hazard; good development potential |
Secondary Cropland |
|
53D |
Glenelg loam soil |
Very deep, well drained,
micaceous, yellowish-red loamy soils; very high
erosion hazard; fair to marginal development
potential |
Prime Pasture |
|
125D |
Hazel very stony loam; rocky |
Moderately deep, excessively
drained, light yellowish brown loamy soils on narrow
summits and moderately steep backslopes; high
erosion hazard; poor development potential |
Secondary Pasture |
|
2A |
Codorus loam soil; frequently
flooded |
Very deep, moderately well
drained yellowish loamy brown soils with
intermittent high water tables on floodplains;
slight erosion hazard; not suited for development |
Secondary Cropland |
Staff
Recommendation
The
application submitted meets Condition 2b of the revised BOS
policy on parcels 25 acres or smaller in agricultural and
forestal districts. Condition 2b states:
The parcel is under the same or family ownership as other
parcels which together comprise a contiguous tract of at
least 25 acres. Such groups of parcels shall be evaluated
for inclusion in the district under the same criteria
established for parcels 25 acres or greater in size.
The parcels
together total 31.66 acres and are almost entirely
surrounded by woods. Allowing the parcels in the District
would be in accordance with the County’s policy on
preserving agricultural and forestal lands. Therefore,
staff recommends including the parcels in the District.
If the Board
recommends the parcel be included in the District, staff
recommends that they be subject to the standard conditions.
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