AGENDA DATE: 6/17/2026
TITLE:
Title
Agricultural and Forestal Districts (AFDs): Withdrawal from the Lanark AFD
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Adoption of an ordinance to amend County Code Chapter 3, Agricultural and Forestal Districts, Article II, Districts of Statewide Significance, Division 2, Districts, to withdraw land from the Lanark District, as specified below.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Herrick, Tevendale, Svoboda, Barnes, Maliszewski, Clark, Van Vranken
PRESENTER (S): James Van Vranken
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Agricultural and Forestal Districts (AFD) program is a voluntary land conservation program in which landowners limit the development potential of their land to help protect the rural landscape. Localities are enabled to establish AFDs under the Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act (Virginia Code § 15.2-4300 et seq.). The program is structured to protect the following public interests: production of food and other agricultural and silvicultural products; provision of essential open spaces; strong agricultural and silvicultural economies; and protection and preservation of natural resources and retention of continuous and unfragmented land. The County currently has 27 districts covering approximately 62,000 acres, or 14% of the Rural Area.
Any landowner may withdraw from an AFD by right during its regular district review, which typically occurs once every ten years. A landowner may also apply to withdraw at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors at any time between district reviews (§ 15.2-4314). Such application may only be approved “for good and reasonable cause,” based on four criteria listed below (County Code Sec. 3-205(D)).
Virginia Code § 15.2-4314 requires the Agricultural and Forestal Districts Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission to review such applications and report their recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, which must hold a public hearing and, by ordinance, may withdraw land from an existing district.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Mission: To enhance the well-being and quality of life for all citizens through the provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: The AFD Advisory Committee (6:1) and the Planning Commission (6:0) reviewed the following application and recommended approval.
AFD-2026-00001 Lanark Withdrawal
The applicant requests to withdraw from the Lanark District a 7.5-acre portion of a 50-acre parcel (Tax Map 103 Parcel 2B) on Presidents Road, which would allow the owner to perform a 7.5-acre subdivision that is prohibited by the conditions of the District. The 7.5-acre portion contains an old house site with a dwelling and other accessory structures, all of which are in significant disrepair, and which the prospective buyer would like to renovate. No additional dwellings are proposed. The remainder of the property consists of hardwood forest and would remain in the District. (See Attachment B for further application details.)
Applications for withdrawal must be assessed against the four criteria in County Code Sec. 3-205(D): no significant adverse impact; consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; consistent with the public interest; and changed circumstances. See Attachment C for an assessment of the application against these criteria.
BUDGET IMPACT: The withdrawal of parcels from AFDs has no budget impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the ordinance (Attachment A) to withdraw the 7.5-acre portion of 103-2B from the Lanark AFD.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Proposed Ordinance
B - Withdrawal Application
C - May 12, 2026 PC Staff Report - Lanark Withdrawal
D - Final Action Letter
E - May 12, 2026 PC Minutes