CEA_11-29-07_Meeting_MinutesMEETING MINUTES
• OF THE
FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATION EASEMENT AUTHORITY
Held in the Executive Session Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107
North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on November 29, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.
PRESENT: Ritchie Wilkins, Chairman; Diane Kearns, Vice Chairman; Robert Solenberger;
John Gavitt; and Todd Lodge.
ABSENT: Barbara Van Osten; John Light; Phil Glaize; Jim Lawrence, Treasurer
STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, Director; Amber Powers, Planning Technician
OTHERS PRESENT: Robert Allen, WINC
PUBLIC MEETING:
Item I - Minutes
The minutes of the October 25, 2007 meeting were approved as presented.
Item 2 - PDR State Grant Matching Program Update
Staff offered an update on the state's program from which the CEA has sought PDR
certification and matching funds of approximately $265,000. The Office of Farmland
Preservation's Kevin Schmitt indicated that his office would be announcing the certified
communities and their matching grant awards during the first of December. The County
would then have until March to accept the funding, and would have to allocate the funding
within two years time.
Item 3 - Replacement for Barbara Van Osten as Board Liaison
With Barbara's departure from the Board of Supervisors, a new Board Liaison needs to be
considered. CEA members were encouraged to think about the issue and see if any of the
Board members are interested.
Item 4 - Planning for the December 4, 2007 Conservation Easement Seminar
Arrangements were discussed and finalized for the December 4, 2007 informational event.
The guest speakers will be John Eckman of the Valley Conservation Council, Elaine Cain,
CPA, with Yount, Hyde & Barbour, and Seth Coffman from the Potomac Conservancy.
They will focus on what Virginia's current policies are toward conservation easements and
what programs are available, as well as information about tax credits and the logistics of
establishing an easement.
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Minutes of November 29, 2007
Item 5 - Comprehensive Overview of CEA Policies
The CEA reviewed the first draft of the Comprehensive Overview of the CEA's Policies
• before the meeting. It was agreed that excerpts of the draft would eventually be used for the
Comprehensive Policy Plan update. It was also agreed that an electronic copy of the
Overview draft would be emailed to each CEA member. Each member would then have time
to suggest changes which will then be compiled into a final draft for the January 10, 2008
meeting.
Item 6 - Creating an Inter - Organizational Meeting
It was suggested that an inter - organizational group be established with representatives from
all land - holding conservation organizations active in the County that could be assembled if
and when a landowner approached the CEA with a serious interest in establishing an
easement. The purpose of the group would be to work with the landowner to determine
whether the land should have an casement placed on it, and which organization should hold
that easement. Staff will contact these organizations to see if they have an interest in
participating, and will provide the CEA with more information during the January 10, 2008
meeting.
Item 7 - Reaching Out to Landowners with Smaller Parcels
CEA members also discussed the challenges of reaching smaller landowners in the County
with information about conservation. Any ideas for addressing this issue would be
welcomed at the January 10, 2008 meeting.
Item 8 - Review of CEA By -Laws
• The CEA has the opportunity to review and change its By -Laws if it so wishes. CEA
members are asked to look over the By -Laws before the January meeting, which will be
emailed to each member with the comprehensive plan draft.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Wilkins III, Chairman
Eric R. Lawrence, Secretary
•
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Minutes of November 29, 2007