Protecting a precious asset

 

Rural protection on Millers Lane (CRLC image)

There’s been a lot of conversation of late about Goochland’s rural character. A precise definition of rural remains elusive—bringing to mind the observation of a former United States Supreme Court Justice about pornography, “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it”—but there is general agreement that it should be protected. The “how” is the tricky part.

While developers contend that high density subdivisions with homes on a sliver of an acre protect the rural character, a true way to preserve rural is to place land in a conservation easement removing its development potential in perpetuity—forever.

The Capital Region Land Conservancy https://capitalregionland.org/ recently announced that Dr. William “Whitey” Robertson and his wife Mary donated a conservation easement, their second in Goochland, to the CRLC, for a 10.5 acre parcel on Millers Lane. Their first was for 51 acres including their home, Oak Knoll in Manakin Sabot.

The Millers Lane property is in a part of the county designated as rural enhancement and “Deep Run Hunt Country” in the Goochland Comprehensive Land use plan to pay homage to the area’s equestrian roots. As both Robertsons are active members of the Deep Run Hunt Club, where Mary served as Master of Foxhounds, protecting land from development in this iconic part of Goochland is especially meaningful.

The newly protected property, known as “the cottage,” is mostly surrounded by land already in conservation easement or under deed restrictions and covenants recorded by the Sabot Hill owner’s association. The property also contains “the manse” of Hebron Presbyterian Church, which was established in 1845.

 According to CRLC “approximately 85% of the property contains Prime Farmland or Soils of Statewide Importance. It has the highest agricultural value as determined by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR)’s Virginia Heritage Data Explorer (NHDE), which also notes the entire property is most vulnerable to the threat of development. To preserve the land for agricultural uses and to preserve scenic views from Millers Lane, all existing and future buildings larger than 500 square feet, must be located within a 1-acre area.

“As we look back at our origins as an organization it includes the Goochland Land Alliance that began in 2002 by Sandy and Rossie Fisher and merged into CRLC in 2009,” said Parker C. Agelasto, CRLC’s Executive Director. “The Robertson’s dedication to land conservation goes back to these early efforts and is exemplary of how community values are enforced by selfless acts of neighbors.”

The Fishers were early and ardent advocates for land conservation. In 2007, they were named “Stewards of the Land” by the American Farmland Trust, an organization dedicated to keeping the earth healthy. For many years the Fishers operated Brookview Farm, protected by an easement, raising organic grass-fed beef, eggs, and chickens sold at their farm market.

Jonathan Lyle, who currently represents District 5 on the Goochland Board of Supervisors, and served for many years as a director of the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District, lauded the Robertsons’ for taking action to “save this land for future generations” and hoped that others would follow their example to keep Goochland rural.

According to the CRLC website, easements come in all sizes from less than an acre to large tracts of land. Appropriateness for inclusion is determined by the policy focus of the entity granting the easement. Each easement is unique. There can be tax benefits for donating an easement.

Land that has been in a family for generations sometimes winds up in the hands of distant heirs with little connection Goochland, who sell to developers. Placing an easement on the land prevents this. If you own land you’d like to protect from development, please investigate the benefits offered by an easement.

Capital Region Land Conservancy is dedicated to conserving the natural and historic resources of Virginia’s Richmond region for the benefit of people and nature. The nonprofit land trust serves the City of Richmond and 19 surrounding counties. Since 2005, CRLC has helped protect more than 15,000 acres, including easements on more than 5,000 acres.  www.capitalregionland.org