AGENDA DATE: 11/6/2024
TITLE:
Title
Rivanna Station Land Use Agreement for Federal Training
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Approval of Land Use Agreement for Defense Intelligence Agency to conduct non-combat training on Rivanna Futures property.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Herrick, Andrake, Dumars, Strother, Mowry
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: In December 2023, the County purchase the 462-acre Rivanna Futures property on Boulders Road in the Rivanna Magisterial District. The property is currently largely undeveloped and is ideal for conducting outdoor non-combat field training. The Defense Intelligence Agency has requested to use portions of the County property to conduct non-combat training for personnel stationed at the adjacent Rivanna Station facility.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality of Life - Encourage a vibrant community with economic and recreational opportunities that serve all community members.
DISCUSSION: Currently, Albemarle County Police Department (ACPD) and Albemarle County Fire Rescue (ACFR) use the Rivanna Futures property to conduct trainings to maintain proficiency. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has requested use of nine of the County’s Rivanna Futures parcels to conduct similar non-combat training, including in Medical, Land Navigation, Basic Outdoor / Survival Evasion skills, Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART), Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (CBRN) threat protective gear, and Counterintelligence threat identification and mitigation. These courses are considered unclassified and low risk.
The proposed agreement (Attachment A) specifically would prohibit the following activities on County property: use of firearms, combat or combat-like simulations, use of heavy or combat vehicles, permanent changes to the property or land, and hunting/fishing/personal recreational use.
Previous courses have been conducted in locations where the public has had some limited visibility and free access. The request is to continue training in a more isolated location to avoid incidents with civilians unknowingly entering a training scene and eliciting a Public Safey response, disrupting training.
The DIA would coordinate with County Facilities and Operations to deconflict dates/times to use the property and provide notification on each day of training
BUDGET IMPACT: Approval of this agreement would have no impact on the County budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached resolution (Attachment B), authorizing the County Executive to sign an agreement to allow non-combat training on the County’s Rivanna Futures property, once the agreement has been approved as to form and substance by the County Attorney.
.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Proposed Rivanna Futures Land Use Agreement
B - Proposed Resolution