AGENDA DATE: 5/9/2018
TITLE:
Title
Strawberry Hill ACE Easement
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Consider approval of an electric utility easement across an existing County open-space (ACE) easement.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Herrick, Gast-Bray, Maliszewski, Goodall
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: In 2008, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) and the County jointly acquired an open-space (ACE) easement on Tax Map Parcel 05000-00-00-04500, a property known as Strawberry Hill Farm, a 330 acre cattle farm near Cismont. VOF helped fund this acquisition through a $565,000, or 50%, matching grant.
A Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) electric transmission line runs along the eastern boundary of the property to a small substation. This line is the final portion of a proposed transmission network upgrade from Cash's Corner Substation to Zions Substation. The upgrade, from a 46kV to 115kV line, would enhance the reliability and redundancy to growing areas served by this line. Because the new line would require a utility pole height increase from 55 feet to 75 feet and an enlargement of the right-of-way (ROW) by 0.106 acres (over which the new lines would hang), it is subject to the review and approval of VOF and the County, as easement co-holders. Specifically, Section II(2)(iv) of the deed of easement provides: "Public and private utilities that do not serve the Property shall not cross the Property unless Grantees [VOF and the County] determine that the construction and maintenance of such utilities will not impair the conservation values of the Property and give its prior written approval for such construction and maintenance."
Because of VOF's experience in responding to similar utility requests statewide, County staff agreed that VOF should take the lead in reviewing this request. After consultation with County staff, the owners...
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