AGENDA DATE: 12/2/2015
TITLE:
Title
Agricultural and Forestal Districts; additions to the Blue Run, the Carter's Bridge, the Eastham, the Hardware, the Jacob's Run, the Keswick, the Lanark, and the Moormans River AF Districts; the creation of the Green Mountain AF District; and corrections to the district descriptions to identify all those tax map parcels within the districts
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, pertaining to additions to the Blue Run, the Carter's Bridge, the Eastham, the Hardware, the Jacob's Run, the Keswick, the Lanark, and the Moormans River AF Districts; and the creation of the Green Mountain AF District
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Walker, Davis, Kamptner, Graham, Cilimberg, Clark
PRESENTER (S): Scott Clark
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: Localities are enabled to establish agricultural and forestal districts (AFD's) under the Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act (Virginia Code ? 15.2-4300). AFD's serve two primary purposes: (1) to conserve and protect agricultural and forestal lands; and (2) to develop and improve agricultural and forestal lands. Land within an AFD is prohibited from being developed to a more intensive use, other than a use resulting in more intensive agricultural or forestal production, without prior Board approval. The County is prohibited from exercising its zoning power in a way that would unreasonably restrict or regulate farm structures or farming and forestry practices in contravention of the Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act unless those restrictions or regulations bear a direct relationship to public health and safety (Virginia Code ? 15.2-4312).
Additions A landowner may petition to add its land to an AFD at any time (Virginia Code ? 15.2-4310). Vi...
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