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CEA 10-23-14 Meeting Agenda CEA Frederick County Conservation Easement Authority C/O Frederick County Planning Department, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, VA 22601 (540 -665-5651) MEMORANDUM TO: Conservation Easement Authority FROM: Eric R. Lawrence, CEA Secretary SUBJECT: October Meeting DATE: October 14, 2014 ______________________________________________________________________________ The Frederick County Conservation Easement Authority will be meeting on Thursday, October 23, 2014 at 8:30 a.m. in the Planning Department Conference Room in the County Administration Building, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. PLEASE NOTE THE NEW MEETING TIME and LOCATION. The Conservation Easement Authority will discuss the following agenda items: AGENDA 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Adoption of Meeting Minutes: February 27, 2014 and August 28, 2014 3. Update on Effort to Create Informational Conservation Easement Videos a. Review, discuss, comment on the draft video footage 4. Open Discussion 5. Other Please contact the Planning Department (540-665-5651) if you are unable to attend this meeting. ERL/pd Enclosures: draft February 27, 2014 and August 28, 2014 meeting minutes Draft Conservation Easement Authority Page 198 February 27, 2014 MEETING 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 February 27, 2014. PRESENT: Diane Kearns, Chairman; Todd Lodge, Vice Chairman; Ron Clevenger, C. Robert Solenberger, Bryan Green, Charles Triplett, Planning Commission Liaison; and Gene Fisher, Board of Supervisor Liaison ABSENT: Elaine Cain, Treasurer; John Marker STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, CEA Secretary; John Bishop, Deputy Director of Transportation; Lindsey Felton, GIS Analyst; and Pam Deeter, Secretary II OTHER: Kelly Watkinson, Shenandoah CEA, and Patrick Felling, Shenandoah County PUBLIC MEETING Welcome and Introduction Adoption of Meeting Minutes On a motion made by Mr. Solenberger and seconded by Mr. Clevenger the January 23, 2014, meeting minutes were approved as presented. Update on Recorded Easement Activities Frederick County has had no new inquires for easements. Update on Effort to Create Informational Conservation Easement Brochures and Videos Two documents have been created by staff members of the Potomac Conservancy and staff members of the Planning Department. These documents outline how we might want to run the video and a brief overview. Potomac Conservancy has experience with working with easements and the County could benefit from their knowledge. Draft Conservation Easement Authority Page 199 February 27, 2014 In the outline, the categories of videos are listed and the Board today will make the decision if this is the right direction to produce the videos. If this meets the Board approval, we would start working at Staff level and have a video produced in a few months. Once the first video is produced we will show the video to the Board and see if we want to proceed with next video. Chairman Kearns passed out a booklet that was published by the Valley Conservation Council (VCC). The booklet is called Protecting Shenandoah Valley Lands. Chairman Kearns is thinking that the VCC might be willing to partner with us for the videos because they also work with easements. Mr. Lawrence read the outline out loud. After each topic, Mr. Lawrence gave the opportunity for comments or discussion. In the outline, under objectives, it was mentioned to add tourism and education. Kelly Watkinson suggested, in order, to promote the different partners maybe we should be promoting what County easements can do for you. If you live in a certain County contact your local County CEA for more information. Mr. Lawrence thinks the first video (teaser) will promote and advertise easements. Mr. Lawrence believes that it can be put on local TV channels, County Webpage, Facebook, and Utube. Mr. Solenberger asked what the cost would be for the video. Mr. Lawrence said that the staff is doing this at no cost. In the outline, under “What do we want them to think/feel?” Ms. Murphy expressed, we should add to focus on economy in this area. At this point, we have seven videos to produce with different topics. After the first video, the group will view it and see if we want to proceed with the next topic. The Board agreed to this approach. The CEA members came up with a list of potential individuals to interview for videos. Other Next meeting will be on March 27, 2014 at 8:30 a.m. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:25 a.m. Draft Conservation Easement Authority Page 200 February 27, 2014 Respectfully submitted _____________________ Diane Kearns, Chairman _______________________ Eric Lawrence, CEA Secretary DRAFT Conservation Easement Authority Page 201 August 28, 2014 MEETING MINUTES OF THE FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATION EASEMENT AUTHORITY Held in the Purple Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107 North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on August 28, 2014. PRESENT: Diane Kearns, Chairman; Ron Clevenger, C. Robert Solenberger and Charles Triplett, Planning Commission Liaison. ABSENT: Todd Lodge, Vice Chairman; Elaine Cain, Treasurer; Bryan Green, John Marker, and Gene Fisher, Board of Supervisors Liaison STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, CEA Secretary; John Bishop, Deputy Director of Transportation; Lindsey Felton, GIS Analyst; and Pam Deeter , Secretary II OTHER: Ellen Murphy, Commissioner of Revenue; Jed Rau, Potomac Conservancy; and Tracy Lind, Potomac Conservancy PUBLIC HEARING Welcome and Introduction Adoption of Meeting Minutes February 27, 2014 minutes were not approved because no quorum present. Update on Recorded Easement Activities Frederick County has had no new inquires. Mr. Rau commented that Potomac Conservancy has had a few inquiries. Mr. Rau spoke with VOF (Virginia Outdoor Foundation) and VOF has only had one easement from the Valley this whole year. The VOF usually has several and then they determine which will be funded easements. Chairman Kearns was asking why only one easement compared to previous years. Mr. Rau thinks it has to do with the reduction of the Federal Incentives. Mr. Rau explained to the committee that Potomac Conservancy is hosting Neighborhood Meetings. If an individual has an easement or is supporting easement, the landowner looks at his neighborhood within a two mile range and selects about 30 people that might be interested to come to a dinner and a short presentation by Potomac Conservancy and Conservation Partners (Taylor Cole). Mr. Rau suggested if anyone is interest in hosting a Neighborhood Meeting to contact him. DRAFT Conservation Easement Authority Page 202 August 28, 2014 Update on Effort to Create Information Conservation Easement Brochures and Videos Mr. Bishop stated we had interviewed two property owners. Another property owner has confirmed appointment and two more are interested and hoping to schedule an interview in the up-coming weeks. The interviews can take several hours. Committee watched two clips of the footage that has been taped. The committee member agreed that the footage was great. Ms. Lind stated that each property owner is asked the same question. Mr. Bishop stated that this footage is just the introduction or teaser video. The professional people have not been interviewed yet. Mr. Bishop stated it will be a challenge to keep the video at five minutes in length. The committee agreed that it should be five individual informative videos. Mr. Lawrence included with the agenda the information that was previously discussed about the video contents. Mr. Lawrence suggested that if any member wanted to add or remove information this would be the time to discuss this. Chairman Kearns asked what questions was the landowner being asked and Ms. Lind said, she would email the questions to the committee members. Chairman Kearns wondered if it would be good idea to target the general public to see what their thoughts are on conservation easement. Mr. Lawrence suggested maybe going into a new subdivision and getting some comments from citizen on easements. Chairman Kearns suggested that we tape footage from all four seasons, with that in mind; the video possibly won’t be complete until next spring. Mr. Bishop stated we still have to interview the professional people (lawyer, accountant, and appraiser). Chairman Kearns would like the committee to see the video first before going public. Mr. Lawrence said we will do a press release. Chairman Kearns would like a press release after each video is released to the public. Ms. Felton contacted the person that put information on the cable station. He is willing to run the video on the cable network. Chairman Kearns is looking for suggestion of groups that would show the videos. The committee suggested civic organization and neighborhood meetings. Chairman Kearns would like to incorporate outdoor recreation in the video footage. Mr. Rau suggested, running the video at an outdoor recreational retail store. Mr. Lawrence suggested we take some footage of a Neighborhood Meeting. Mr. Lawrence asked Mr. Rau to give an update on the funding of easement. Mr. Rau said the easement money is not there because the Federal funding incentive program has decreased. Most Counties don’t have financial support for easement. Some Counties have thought about rollback taxes to help create DRAFT Conservation Easement Authority Page 203 August 28, 2014 the funding of easement. Mr. Rau explained when you received Federal funding there has to be a percentage of a match or the easement won’t be approved. Mr. Lawrence asked Mrs. Murphy about rollback taxes. Mrs. Murphy replied and said she would present to the Board as much as you can. If approved, at a later date the Board could have a say as to where the funds would be spent. A suggestion by Chairman Kearns that in the video maybe we should ask for donation for easements. This would show the Board we do have supporters for easements. The committee would like to present the video to the Board and possible talk about rollback tax for easement. Mr. Lawrence suggested to Mr. Rau that when he has his neighborhood meeting that he invites the Board of Supervisor member of the district. This keeps them informed also could participate if interested. OTHER: Next meeting will be Sept 25, 2014 at 8:30 a.m. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:40. Respectfully submitted ____________________ Diane Kearns, Chairman ____________________ Eric Lawrence, CEA Secretary