AGENDA DATE: 8/6/2025
TITLE:
Title
Strawberry Hill Farm Utility Easement
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Request for conservation easement holder approval for a new underground utility easement on a property that is under a conservation easement co-held by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the County.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, DeLoria, Wall, Filardo, Barnes, Maliszewski, Clark, Van Vranken
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Strawberry Hill Farm conservation easement was acquired through the County’s Acquisition of Conservation Easement (ACE) program in October 2008 and is co-held by the County and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF). VOF is the co-holder in this case, rather than the Albemarle Conservation Easement Authority, because half of the purchase funding came from VOF’s Preservation Trust Fund. The easement protects TMP 50-45, a 330-acre parcel on the northwest side of Gordonsville Road at its intersection with Lindsey Road, owned by Strawberry Hill Farm, LLC. The property is primarily used as pasture.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality of life: Encourage a vibrant community with economic and recreational opportunities that serve all community members.
DISCUSSION: Virginia Electric and Power Company, operating as Dominion Energy, holds a 100-foot-wide utility easement (first acquired in 1926) across the parcel running parallel to Gordonsville Road. The easement is currently populated with large utility poles (Attachment A). Dominion proposes acquiring a new, 15-foot utility easement in the same location to permit the undergrounding of the power line and telecommunications lines (Attachment B). The new lines would be installed underground through directional boring, which means that no trenching or vegetation removal would be needed. The utility also plans to remove the existing above-ground lines and towers in this area.
The deed of easement states, “Public and private utilities that do not serve the Property shall not cross the Property unless [the easement holders] determine that the construction and maintenance of such utilities will not impair the conservation values of the Property and give its [sic] prior written approval for such construction and maintenance” (Attachment C).
No areas specifically identified for protection in the conservation easement (stream buffers, etc.) would be impacted by the construction and maintenance of an underground utility line. The area available for the existing grazing use would not be reduced by installation of the new lines, as the surface vegetation would remain.
Both VOF and Strawberry Hill Farm, LLC consent to the new utility easement.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt the resolution approving the new utility easement (Attachment D).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Image of current utility poles on the property
Attachment B - Proposed utility easement and map
Attachment C - ACE200600002 Strawberry Hill Farm Conservation Easement Deed
Attachment D - Resolution