RESOLUTION

A RESOLUTION TO FUND THE FAUQUIER COUNTY

FARMLAND PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (PDR) PROGRAM

WHEREAS, agriculture is the leading industry in Fauquier County and a critical mass of farmland is necessary for the continued vitality of the economic engine of production agriculture; and

WHEREAS, the adopted Fauquier County Vision Statement notes the intention of the County "… to preserve the physical beauty, historical heritage and environmental quality of the County while ensuring that population growth and development is a positive force on the general welfare of the community."; and

WHEREAS, on the 19^th day of February 2002 the Board of Supervisors adopted a Purchase of Development Rights Program to support the agricultural economy of Fauquier County authorizing payment of $20,000 per development right; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors dedicated roll back taxes to initially fund the Purchase of Development Rights Program, of which $416,827.83 has been collected to date; and

WHEREAS, Old Dominion Electrical Cooperative (ODEC) has contributed funds totaling $1.5 million for purchase of development rights on properties located within a five-mile radius of that Company's new peaking power plant; and

WHEREAS, both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States Government have made matching resources and incentives available for local farmland PDR programs; and

WHEREAS, private non-profit organizations, including land trusts, may also be willing to provide matching funds for local PDR programs; and

WHEREAS, the County's Agricultural Advisory Committee created a PDR Subcommittee to develop and implement a farmland PDR program; and

WHEREAS, PDR Subcommittee representatives received six PDR Program applications and, after evaluation of  applicant properties, determined five of the properties should be included in the program and recommended to the Agricultural Advisory Committee that all development rights offered on the eligible properties be purchased; and

WHEREAS, on April 17 2003, the Agricultural Advisory Committee voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors purchase all development rights offered on the five eligible applicant properties, indicating that the ODEC funds be used to purchase the rights of the three properties located within the aforecited five miles radius; and

            WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors directed that the Agricultural Advisory Committee and the Agricultural Development Officer present funding mechanisms to the Finance Committee for consideration and recommendation ; and

WHEREAS, on 15 May 2003 , the Finance Committee voted to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that all of the eligible development rights offered under the farmland PDR program be considered for purchase; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors this 21st day of July 2003, That the County Administrator be, and is hereby, authorized to negotiate and execute the installment purchases of the following eligible development rights as determined by the Agricultural Advisory Committee:   

; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Purchase of Development Rights Program may use funds from the Capital Improvement Fund to be repaid by ODEC and roll back funds.  The ODEC funds may only be used for purchasing development rights within a five-mile radius of the ODEC power plant.