HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEAMinutes2025December4
MEETING MINUTES
OF THE
FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATION EASEMENT AUTHORITY
Held in the Planning Department Conference Room of the Frederick County Administration
Building at 107 North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on December 4, 2025.
PRESENT: Diane Kearns, Chairman; Todd Lodge, Vice-Chairman; Elaine Cain, Wendy Dorsey,
Philip Haines, Leslie Spencer, Charles Markert, Planning Commission Liaison; Judith McCann-
Slaughter, Board of Supervisor Liaison.
ABSENT: Patricia Scheulen-Ferrell.
STAFF PRESENT: John Bishop, Assistant Planning Director.
PUBLIC MEETING
Welcome and Introduction
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman Kearns at 9:00 a.m.
Mr. Haines made a motion to approve October 23, 2025, minutes and was seconded by Ms.
Dorsey.
Follow up on the event on November 20, 2025.
The overall consensus of the event was well received. There was interaction with the citizens.
The attendance wasn’t great but there was another event that evening. CEA needs to continue
informational session.
Chairman Kearns suggested that CEA needs to partner with other organizations. Members were
asked to contact other organizations to see if the CEA could partner at their events.
Contact organizations.
• Lake Frederick Conservation Group
• Homesteads Group
• WISE Group
Committee members gave suggestions as to events that CEA could attend. Belle Grove Plant Sale,
Blandy Farm, and Farm Crawl.
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Chairman Kearns suggested the group start small then expand:
1. Small scale events such as vendor events. Belle Grove, Blandy Farm and Farm Crawl.
2. See if an easement holder would host an event at their property.
3. Hold an event at a community building.
Items are needed for events, presentations, brochures, easement map and a canopy.
Chairman Kearns is requesting the Board of Supervisors for assistance in funding CEA project
from roll back taxes or solar farm citing agreement.
Chairman Kearns polled the Board as to their views on rural acres.
Preserving water, soil, and agricultural land
Rural land is anything outside of UDA
Preserve Agricultural areas.
House on 5-acres or more.
A member was asked to contact the National Growers Association, to see if the CEA could partner
with the organization at their events.
Staff mentioned that the Comprehensive Plan is being reviewed and maybe incorporate a section
in the Comprehensive Plan Update on Environment. Staff mentioned that a HRAB liaison might
be attending the CEA meeting.
The Authority members gave their views on the meeting on October 23. An Authority member
stated the County has a lot of assets and the location to D.C. makes a difference, but it is not sure
if the Board realized this opportunity. The Authority would like the Board to answer the question
about what the County’s vision is for the future. An Authority member stated 25% of land is in
conservation easement in Clarke County. Clarke County has a vision and is very active in
conservation and very little residential development.
Future Upcoming Event
Belle Grove hosts a Master Gardener Festival event on the first Saturday of June.
• Educating about CEA
• Comprehensive Plan Update
• Mail out brochure
Next meeting will be held January. The Committee has been asked to review the CEA website
and will discuss it at next meeting. Inquiries were made about a Facebook page and pictures of
conservation pictures.
The goal for the Authority is to raise awareness and raise funds to help protect the County assets.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:17.
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Respectfully submitted,
____________________________
Diane Kearns, Chairman
______________________________
John A. Bishop, CEA Secretary
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