PDR Progress Report03-13

7/30/2019 PDR Progress Report03-13

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Purchase o Development RightsProgram

Fauquier County

A tool or preserving and enhancing the agricultural industry.

February 2013


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Agriculture is one o the leading industries inFauquier County. In order to sustain thisindustry, a critical mass o armland is necessary or

the production o crops and animals. In Februaryo 2002, the Fauquier County Board o Supervisors

ormally established the Purchase oDevelopment Rights (PDR) Program in order toprotect the Countys armland and retain theagricultural industrys critical mass. The PDRProgram is a voluntary program in whichlandowners sell the development rights o their landto the County; this protects the agricultural andnatural resources o their property while allowingthem to retain ownership. In some cases, unds

given to landowners through the PDR program areused to deray debt and save the amily arm. Inother cases, the unds are used to make signifcantimprovements or additions to the armingoperation. The landowner has ull control over howthe PDR unds are to be utilized. In addition to thecash PDR payments, landowners may also qualiyor state and/or ederal land conservation tax credits

and deduction programs. All applicants areencouraged to discuss these programs with their tax

advisors.

While unding or the PDR Program is largely taxbased, a signifcant percentage, roughly 32%(over $3.9M), has been provided by non-Countysources in the orm o grants and othercontributions.

Increasingly, Fauquier County is being used as amodel by other localities when seeking guidance in

developing a PDR Program. In past years, assistancehas been provided to ocials in Staord, Culpeper,Franklin, Hanover, Augusta, Spotsylvania and

Rockingham Counties.

The Fauquier County Agricultural Developmentsta also served on the Virginia Department oAgriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)Farmland Preservation Task Force. This Task Forcehas developed a model PDR Program or Virginialocalities and has outlined the structure or a state-unded PDR Program.

In addition, sta has assisted the VDACS Oce o

Farmland Preservation in the development ooperating guidelines or the allocation o state-matching unds or armland preservation. 2007brought the frst specifc allocation o matchingunds through VDACS. Fauquier Countys PDRProgram has received approximately $1,061,000 inVDACS matching unds, to date.

Preserving Agriculture


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Why Apply to the PDR Program?

Everyone has their own reasons or wanting to take part in the PDR Program, but here are a ewo the top reasons:

t You will ensure that your amily can continue arming the same land. Productive agriculturalland is a fnite and irreplaceable natural resource.

t You will preserve the open space, the agriculture and the nature that exists on your land. PDR

Easements are attached to the land which means it will transer to a new owner i you everchoose to sell your property.

t You will contribute to long-range environmental benefts which include wildlie habitat,clean air and water, ood control, groundwater recharge and carbon sequestration.

t You will ensure continued goods and/or services are available to the citizens o FauquierCounty and beyond. Agriculture contributes to the local economy directly through sales,

job creation, supporting services and businesses, and also by supplying lucrative secondarymarkets such as ood processing.

t You will receive a lump sum cash payment that can be used as you see ft. In some cases,

unds have been used to complete estate planning, deray debt and save the arm. In othercases, the unds have been used to make signifcant improvements or additions to thearming operation.

t You may also be eligible to receive a number o tax credits and/or tax deductions once thePDR Easement is recorded . Please seek guidance rom your tax advisor regarding theseopportunities.


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PDR Program Qualifcations

In order to qualiy or consideration under the PDR Program,the ollowing criteria must be met:t Land must be used or a bona fde agricultural operation;

t Land must be in excess o 50 acres (can be a combinationo multiple, contiguous parcels);

t Land must currently be zoned Rural Agricultural (RA) or

Rural Conservation (RC); andt Land must not currently be under conservation easement

or pending consideration or conservation easement orotherwise restricted rom development.

Dont Qualiy or the PDR Program?

Fauquier County landowners have an additional option or preserving their land through the donation oconservation easements. The Fauquier County Board o Supervisors will accept donated conservationeasements on land consistent with the County Comprehensive Plan and where there is residential densityto be relinquished. The County is a qualifed conservation organization under U.S. Treasury regulations andVirginia State law and, as such, is authorized to hold conservation easements. Land owners interested indonating a conservation easement to Fauquier County may contact the County Attorneys oce at (540)422-8010.

Since 2006, Fauquier County has approved conservation easement donations totaling nearly 4,500 acres.

For more inormation on donating conservation easements and potential tax benefts, please contactyour tax advisor, your attorney or the below organizations:t Virginia Outdoors Foundation

http://www.voonline.org (540) 347-7727t Piedmont Environmental Council

http://www.pecva.org (540)341-0175

t Virginia Department o Taxationhttp://www.tax.virginia.gov/ (804) 367-8031

t Virginia Department o Conservation & Recreation (DCR)http://www.dcr.virginia.gov (804) 225-2048

t Land Trust o Virginiahttp://landtrustva.org/ (540) 687-8441


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ProgressSince 2002, the Fauquier County Board oSupervisors has made the PDR Program andarmland preservation a priority. The PDR Programhas also been gaining momentum through theyears as armers see their riends and neighborsbeneft rom the program. As o February 2013, atotal o 40 arms containing 8,429 acres and 443development rights have been permanentlypreserved through the PDR program. An additional

2 arms with 598 acres and 36 development rightsare currently approved and pending settlement.

The PDR Program continues to grow as a viablemeans o encouragement to continued arming andland preservation. The ollowing landmarks pointthe way or uture arming and continued workinglandscapes in Fauquier County.

2002t The Fauquier County Board o Supervisors

adopts a Resolution to create a Farmland Pur-chase o Development Rights Program, autho-rizing payment o $20,000 per developmentright.

t Board o Supervisors approves land use rollbacktax or the PDR Program.

t First round o PDR applications received.

2003t Board o Supervisors approve the frst fve PDR

applicants (1,624 acres).

t Second round o PDR applications received(ODEC area).

2004t The Conservation Easement Service District Or-

dinance is adopted by the Board o Supervisors,providing the vehicle or earmarked armlandpreservation unding.

t A fve-member PDR Selection Review Commit-tee is established.


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2004 Continuedt PDR Program receives a donation o $100,000

rom Dominion Virginia Power.

t Board o Supervisors approve to acceptemergency PDR applications (outside o regularapplication cycles).

t PDR Program preserved a total o 1,253 acreswith 58 development rights this year.

2005t Board o Supervisors approve changes to

Eligibility and Ranking Criteria or the PDRprogram to encourage more applications.

t PDR Program receives the frst o three $500,000contributions rom Old Dominion ElectricCooperative.

t Board o Supervisors approve a $10,000 increase

(rom $20,000 to $30,000) in price paid per

development right in the PDR Program.t PDR Program awarded Virginia Land

Conservation Fund Grant in the amount o$213,500.

t PDR Program receives a $50,000 donation romDominion Virginia Power .

t PDR Program preserved a total o 689 acres with

43 development rights this year.

2006t Second o three $500,000 contributions received

rom Old Dominion Electric Cooperative.

t Fauquier County PDR Program selected orVirginia Association o Counties (VACO)Achievement Award.


2007t Sta gives a presentation on the PDR Program

at the invitation o the Franklin County Board oSupervisors.

t Sta gives a presentation on the PDR Program atthe landowners meeting sponsored by PEC at H.M. Pearson Elementary School.

t Third o three $500,000 contributions received

rom Old Dominion Electric Cooperative.t Sta gives a presentation on the PDR Program at

a meeting sponsored by PEC.t Sta participates in a meeting o the General

Assembly Joint Subcommittee on unding orPDR and Open Space preservation.

t PDR Program receives a $50,000 donation romDominion Virginia Power.

t PDR Program preserved a total o 1,038 acreswith 70 development rights this year

2008t PDR Program awarded two VDACS grantstotaling $453,120.


2009t PDR Program awarded Virginia Land

Conservation Foundation Grant in the amount o$198,400.

t Board o Supervisors approve a $5,000 decrease

(rom $30,000 to $25,000) in payment perdevelopment right in the PDR program.

t PDR Program awarded VDACS Grant in theamount o $93,932.



2010t Moo Thru opens in Remington, VA. This business

uses milk produced on a nearby dairy arm in the

PDR Program.


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2010 Continuedt PDR Program awarded VDACS Grant in the

amount o $175,873.

t PDR Program awarded PEC Grant in the amounto $65,000 to assist with PDR project in the CedarRun Watershed.

t PDR Program awarded VDACS grant in theamount o $12,500.

t PDR Program preserved a total o 979 acres with47 development rights this year.

2011t PDR Program awarded Virginia Land

Conservation Foundation Grant in the amount o$52,047.

t Sta coordinated a public meeting on LandConservation Options with PEC.

t PDR Program awarded VDACS grant in the

amount o $110,952.t PDR Program preserved a total o 1,082 acres

with 43 development rights this year.

2012t PDR Program awarded Virginia Land Conserva-

tion Foundation Grant in the amount o $100,000t PDR Program awarded VDACS grant in the

amount o $160,715




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Fauquier County Board o Supervisors

R. Holder Trumbo, Jr., Chairman (Scott District)

Chester W. Stribling, Vice Chairman (Lee District)

Christopher N. Granger (Center District)

D. Lee Sherbeyn (Cedar Run District)

Peter B. Schwartz (Marshall District)

Fauquier County PDR Committee Members

John Schied, Chairman (Cedar Run District)

Ike Broaddus, Vice Chairman (Scott District)

Howard Grove (Lee District)

Doug Larson (Center District)

Patricia Ewing (Marshall District)

For more inormation on the Fauquier County PDR

Program, please contact the Agricultural DevelopmentDepartment or visit our website.

Ray Pickering, Agricultural Development [email protected]

Judy Dodson, PDR Program Associate

[email protected]

Fauquier County Agricultural Development Dept.35 Culpeper St.

Warrenton, VA 20186(540) 422-8280

(540) 422-8277 (ax)

www.FauquierAg.com


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Photo CreditsCover Photos:

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District,

Calverton (upper photo)t Protected arm, Lee District, Remington

(bottom let photo)t Protected arm, Marshall District, Hume

(bottom middle photo)

t Stock photo (bottom right photo)

Page 2 Photos:

t Protected arm, Lee District, Remington (topphoto)

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District,Bealeton (bottom photo)

Page 3 Photo:

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District, Catlett

Page 4 Photos:

t Protected arm, Marshall District, Delaplane(top photo)

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District,Calverton (bottom photo)

Page 5 Photos:

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District,

Midland (top photo)t Protected arm, Cedar Run District, Catlett

(bottom photo)

Page 6 Photo:

t Moo Thru, Remington

Page 7 Photos:

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District, Catlett(top photo)

t Protected arm, Lee District, Remington(middle photo)

t Protected arm, Cedar Run District, Catlett(bottom photo)

Page 9 Photo:

t Protected arm, Lee District, Remington

Photo courtesy o Quarter-Mor Farm

Page 10 Photo:t Protected arm, Marshall District,

Warrenton

Documents

PDR Progress Report03-13