CEA_09-22-11_Meeting_Minutes•
MEETING MINUTES
OF THE
FREDE121CK 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 September 22, 2011 at 8:00 a.m.
PRESENT: Diane Kearns, Chairman; Elaine Cain, Treasurer; Ron Clevenger; Gene Fisher, Board of
Supervisors Liaison; and Charles Triplett, Planning Commission Liaison,
ABSENT: Todd Lodge; Robert Solenberger; and John Marker.
STAFF PRESENT: Candice E. Perkins, Senior Planner; and Bev Dellinger, Secretary ill.
OTHER: Ellen Murphy, Commissioner of the Revenue.
PUBLIC MEETING:
1. June 23, 2011 Meeting Minutes
On a motion by Ms. Cain and seconded by Mr. Clevenger, the minutes of June 23, 2011 were
• approved.
2. Fundraising Efforts
a. www.GI FT.org — Give $1 for Frederick's Tomorrow
Chairman Kearns doesn't have anything new to report on GIFT.
b. Establishing matching fund source
c. Hill High Farm Conservation Easement effort
Chairman Kearns reported that the grant application submitted to Virginia Land Conservation
Fund for Hill High was not approved. Ms. Perkins stated there was approximately two and one
half million dollars for the entire grant, which was broken up into historic, open space and
different other categories. The farm land section of the grant money seems to get the least
amount — there was an approximate amount of $40,000.00 for this allocation. Clarke received
funding for two applications and Shenandoah received funding for one; there were only four
applications that received funding out of that allocation. There were a total of eight applications
in the farm land section and Frederick County ranked seventh.
3. Other Conservation Easement Interests
Chairman Kearns stated there have been articles about Shenandoah County in The Daily
newspaper. One of the articles said that Shenandoah County was contemplating using roll -back
taxes to fund their Easement Authority. Chairman Kearns' take on this is that their Board of
Supervisors voted to set aside $100,000 from roll -back taxes for the use of their Easement
Authority for one year.
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September 22, 2011
Chairman Kearns feels if it's appropriate, it may be time to look at the roll -back taxes to see
what the dollar amount actually is. Chairman Kearns also feels that as we move forward and
look for a funding source, we should have a clear definition of what we're going to use the
funding for. We should start with that and understand what we want to use the funding for and
that would decide how much the Conservation Easement will need to request.
Ms. Murphy stated that the number fluctuates so greatly because in the last year or two, there
hasn't been any development so there hasn't been the roll -back.
Chairman Kearns continued that Mr. Lawrence had mentioned to her in an e -mail the Transfer of
Development Rights Program. People who wanted the Comprehensive Plan revisions looked
over the TDR ordinances and thought there could be some potential tax coming out of that. Ms.
Murphy said that is more just between the farmer and the developer /purchaser; the County won't
generate any tax revenue from that. Ms. Perkins stated the only taxes that would probably come
out of that is if a farmer severed his rights and then sold them to someone who held onto them.
That would come under the fair market value taxation. Ms. Murphy added that those rights are
taxed until they are identified with a property. There is a section of code, 15.22316.2, that says
how that is taxed. Chairman Kearns asked, if a piece of property has been identified as a
receiving property, can the rights be severed and attached to a different piece of property. Ms.
Perkins responded no, they cannot. Once the rights are separated from a rural property, they
cannot be re- attached to that rural property. Once they're transferred onto a receiving parcel,
which would be in the UDA, you can't separate rights from parcels in the UDA.
® Chairman Kearns asked members if they believe we want or need a funding source; what are we
going to use it for. Ms. Perkins said if we had local funds, that would count for a good number
of additional points when we apply for a grant. Mr. Clevenger stated it seems that we do need
local money just to be competitive.
Ms. Cain asked if we could add a CEA donation box for people who pay their taxes online. Ms.
Murphy stated that would take some detailed programming, and she isn't sure how long it would
take to get it online.
Chairman Kearns stated that the CEA can ask staff to look at roll -back taxes to get some
numbers, maybe over the last ten years. Ms. Murphy said she could do that and send it to Mr.
Lawrence. Chairman Kearns asked Ms. Cain if she would be willing to meet with her, maybe
some time this winter, to figure out a game plan on moving the GIFT program forward, and Ms.
Cain responded she would.
Chairman Kearns stated that she hasn't had any more contact with the citizen living in the
Double Tollgate area who was interested in placing an easement on her property.
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Conservation Easement Authority Page - 164 -
September 22, 2011
® 5. CEA Membership
Chairman Kearns stated that we need to fill Mr. Wilkins vacancy on the CEA. She asked for
ideas on who to contact. Several names were brought up. Chairman Kearns said she'd put some
feelers out to some of the people who were mentioned.
6. Next Meeting Date
October 27, 2011 at 8:00 AM.
7. Other
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:35 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Diane Kearns. Chairman
Candice E. Perkins, Senior Planner
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September 22, 2011