AGENDA DATE: 12/18/2019
TITLE:
Title
Agricultural and Forestal Districts (AFD's); Addition to the Yellow Mountain AFD, and the Periodic Review of the Buck Mountain, Buck's Elbow Mountain, Chalk Mountain, Fox Mountain, Jacobs Run, Sugar Hollow, and Yellow Mountain AFDs
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 an addition to the Yellow Mountain AFD and the periodic review of the Buck Mountain, Buck's Elbow Mountain, Chalk Mountain, Fox Mountain, Jacobs Run, Sugar Hollow, and Yellow Mountain AFDs
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner,Filardo, DeLoria, McCulley, Benish, Clark
PRESENTER (S): Scott Clark
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Localities are enabled to establish agricultural and forestal districts (AFDs) under the Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act (Virginia Code ? 15.2-4300 et seq.). AFDs 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. In addition, 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).
The consolidated public hearing and the proposed ordinance pertain to a proposed addition to one AFD and the periodic review of seven AFDs (including the AFD that is also the subject of the proposed addition).
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