ADACMinutes2024February20MEETING MINUTES
OF THE
FREDERICK COUNTY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Held in the first-floor Board of Supervisors Room of the Frederick County Administration
Building, 107 N. Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia on February 20, 2024.
PRESENT: Jason McDonald, Shawnee District; Cordell Watt, Gainesboro District; John Marker,
Back Creek District Alternate; Harman Brumback, Back Creek; Patricia Scheulen-Ferrell,
Gainesboro; John Jewell, BOS Liaison and Mark Sutphin, Virginia Co-Extension
ABSENT: John Stelzl, Opequon District; and William Cline, Stonewall District.
STAFF PRESENT: Mark Cheran, Zoning Administrator; Pam Deeter, Secretary.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Cheran at 6:00 p.m.
On a motion made by Mr. Marker and seconded by Mr. Harman, the minutes for the March 14, 2023,
meeting were unanimously approved as presented.
Mr. Cheran updated the Committee about a change in the agenda items and he also informed the
Committee that next year 2025 is the renewal of all the Agricultural and Forestal Districts. Planning
will have the application online if anyone is interested in coming into the Districts. Committee
members were made aware that they will be contacted to see if they want to serve again on the
Committee or if they know someone that wants to become a Committee member to contact their Board
of Supervisors directly.
Mr. Cheran came forward to present his report. Staff noted the first item is an addition to the South
Timber Ridge District. This addition is 76.866+/- acres with a Property Identification Number 37-A-
8 and this will be 24 parcels that the property owner manages. Currently the District has 1,170.94
acres. If approved, the South Timber Ridge District would have a total of 1,247.84+/- acres.
On a motion made by Mr. Marker approved the additional acreage of 76.866+/- (PIN 37-A-8) to the
South Timber Ridge District and seconded by Mr. McDonald were unanimously approved.
Mr. Cheran presented the second item being the removal from the South Frederick Agricultural &
Forestal District. The District currently has 6,921.63 acres.
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Staff noted that Mr. Charles and Robin Bentley requested to have 64.14+/- acreage removed from the
District. Mr. Bentley provided a letter with the request. If approved, this would bring the South
Frederick District to 6,857.49+/- acres.
Mr. Cheran noted that under the Code of Virginia in1950 as amended provides property owners with
the ability to request removal of land from an agricultural and forestal district through a process via
the local governing body. Staff mentioned the reason why Mr. Bentley requested to be removed from
the District. Mr. Bentley wants to create a family subdivision by giving his son a 2-acre parcel.
Anytime a parcel is in Agricultural & Forestall District, there cannot be any subdivision of land.
Mr. Bentley mentioned that after this is completed the remainder of the parcel will be going back into
the District, but he will do the renewal in 2025.
On a motion made by Mr. Harman to remove the 64.14+/- parcel from the South Frederick Agricultural
& Forestal District with parcel (PIN 84-A-28A), and seconded by Mr. Marker, were unanimously
approved.
Mr. Cheran gave a presentation on the third item for another request to remove 71.21+/- acres (PIN
74-A-3) owned West Oaks Farm Market, LLC., (Joseph and Mary Snapp) from the South Frederick
District. This District was established in 1980 and is renewed every five years. This particular parcel
will be part of the Bartonsville Solar Farm. At the time of the CUP, for the Bartonsville Solar Farm it
was undetermined which way the solar panel would be placed. Construction is going to begin, so the
property needs to be removed from the district. There is still discussion on solar farms as to them being
considered farms. If approved, the District would contain a total of 6,786.28+/- acreage.
A Committee member asked, does the company own the property. Mr. Cheran replied that he wasn’t
sure.
On a motion made by Mr. Watt, to remove the 71.21+/- parcel from the South Frederick Agricultural
& Forestal District with parcel (PIN 74-A-3), and seconded by Mr. Marker, was unanimously
approved.
Staff said the next item is not on the agenda, but since we are meeting here, and the paperwork has
been turned in we will proceed.
Mr. Jason McDonald requested the parcel (PIN 73-A-20) with 238.51+/- be included in the South
Frederick Agricultural and Forestal District. Mr. McDonald already has his farm in this district, and
he is just adding to the district. Staff noted the previous two items on the agenda was to remove parcels
from that district and now we are adding to the District.
On a motion made by Mr. Watt to include parcel (PIN 73-A-20) 238.51+/- acres to the South Frederick
Agricultural & Forestal District and seconded by Mr. Marker, was unanimously approved.
Meeting adjourned at 6:25.
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