AGENDA DATE: 1/8/2025
TITLE:
Title
AC44: Rural Area Land Use Chapter
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Request for Board of Supervisors’ feedback on draft Rural Area Land Use chapter of the Comprehensive Plan
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Filardo, Barnes, McDermott, Swartzendruber, Kanellopoulos, Holt
PRESENTER (S): Tori Kanellopoulos, Principal Planner
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Albemarle County is updating the Comprehensive Plan through the Albemarle County 2044 (AC44) project. The project is in Phase 3: drafting language for the four-part Comprehensive Plan document and developing Plan actions.
The draft language for the Part III - Rural Area Land Use (RA LU) chapter in Attachment B is built upon community input and reflects the Planning Commission’s and Board’s initial feedback.
The work session topics focus primarily on preserving Rural Area land for preferred Rural Area land uses (agriculture, forestry, and conservation) and clarifying the recommendations for rural communities (previously called ‘crossroads communities’). Across the United States, significant amounts of farmland are being converted to low-density residential subdivisions, especially where subdivision requirements are less stringent. Updating the County’s subdivision requirements and reactivating the ACE program are two ways the County can protect Rural Area land and discourage subdivision and residential development.
Action 2.1 is intended to keep residential lots smaller, as larger parcels are needed for agriculture and forestry. Keeping residential lots smaller allows for more land to be reserved for agriculture, forestry, and land conservation, especially where subdivisions are already allowed per development rights. Action 3.1 recommends reactivating ACE to make land conservation possible for lower-income landowners whose rural land is most at risk of sale for development. The ACE program would allow lower-income landowners to have an alternative to selling their land and promote conservation best practices.
The overarching AC44 Rural Area land use approach and guidance for updating the Rural Area Zoning District are found on Page 3 of Attachment B. The Rural Area land use approach continues the Rural Area recommendations from the 2015 Comprehensive Plan, including protecting the natural environment, land conservation, and large unfragmented parcels. The AC44 guidance for updating the RA Zoning District is an update to the ‘Criteria for Review of New Uses’ section of the 2015 Comprehensive Plan (Page 7.5, PDF page 191). New or updated secondary uses in the Rural Area should support primary uses (agriculture/forestry/conservation) and/or support surrounding existing communities and should not generate significant demands for service or infrastructure.
At the November 19, 2024, Planning Commission work session, the Commission indicated that additional guidance may be needed in the Comprehensive Plan regarding future area plans for rural communities. Staff is asking for additional feedback from the Board on what changes may be needed to the Rural Area chapter.
For reference, a summary of previous Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors feedback on Rural Area land use is provided as Attachment D.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality of life - Encourage a vibrant community with economic and recreational opportunities that serve all community members.
DISCUSSION: An updated AC44 outline is provided as Attachment A. As a reminder, the topics within the red box will be the focus of today’s work session. This work session focuses on proposed comprehensive plan language within Attachment B, specifically:
- Whether the chapter provides sufficient recommendations and context for updating the County’s Zoning Ordinance related to Rural Area land uses;
- If anything is missing from the proposed content for the Rural Area land use plan (Action 1.1);
- If the Board supports reactivating the Acquisition of Conservation Easements (ACE) program, prioritizing making land conservation possible for lower-income landowners;
- If the Board supports Actions 2.1 and 3.1 (and related conservation easement programs) to reduce parcel fragmentation and support land conservation;
- What additional considerations or criteria (if any) should be added to the area planning process for rural communities (refer to Actions 5.1, 5.2, 7.2, and 7.4); and
- If anything is missing from the Actions.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact associated with this agenda item.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff requests the Board to review and provide feedback on draft Rural Area Land Use chapter.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - AC44 Outline
B - Draft Rural Area Land Use Chapter
C - Community Input Themes
D - Summary of Planning Commission and Board Feedback