Give the county some involvement
The News Leader - www.newsleader.com - Staunton, Va.
The ordinance targets a growing trend: Rural landowners can legally split ag land and give it to family members who can quickly flip the properties to developers - and avoid the planning and zoning requirements that normally shape residential development in the county.Lawrence Campbell, whose farm lies downstream from such a development near Stuarts Draft, regularly endures torrents of unregulated runoff. Not surprisingly, he favors the slowdown.
“The county’s let this thing get away from them and it’s not easy to back up and tie it down,” he said. “We’ve got to have some rules and regulations.”
Others bridle at any law that would restrict cutting off lots for relatives and resale.
“This is eminent domain in disguise,” said Grottoes farmer Homer Frazier. “It’s telling farmers what they can do with their land.”
The proposed ordinance stemmed in part from recommendations from the supervisors-appointed agricultural task force. It closely follows the model adopted by Augusta’s northern neighbor.
Rockingham County Planner Billy Vaughn said the newly refined rules “are doing what they’re designed to do - to give the county some involvement in how often agricultural land can be subdivided.”
I’d have to agree with Mr. Frazier, while the county isn’t taking your land, they are telling you what you can do with it. I really like that last statement by “Planner” Billy Vaughn. Now, someone just tell me why the county should have any involvement in telling folks what they can and can’t do with land they are supposed to own?