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Board approves ‘no objection’ to sale of conservation‑fund parcel to National Park Service, one supervisor objects
Summary
The board voted to send a no‑objection letter for the Conservation Fund’s proposed sale of Parcel 66‑48 (the Simon Thomas Farm) to the National Park Service for inclusion in the Blue Ridge Parkway holdings; one supervisor voted no and several asked for the original email and supporting documents to be circulated.
Floyd County supervisors on July 22 approved sending a no‑objection notice for a proposed National Park Service acquisition of a Conservation Fund parcel (Parcel 66‑48, known as the Simon Thomas Farm) adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Staff told the board the acquisition covers multiple adjoining parcels across state lines (the materials cited approximately 603 acres proposed for acquisition, of which the county‑relevant portion is smaller) and that the transaction is structured to meet Land and Water Conservation Fund requirements for the Park Service. The board voted in favor of approving the requested “no objection” communication; the roll call recorded a 3–1 vote with one supervisor voting no (Supervisor Cookenbrook) and the others voting yes.
Why this matters: The National Park Service acquisition would add private inholdings to park holdings, changing landownership and management adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway; the Conservation Fund’s proposed conveyance to the Park Service typically accompanies federal recreation and conservation funding requirements.
Supervisor requests: One supervisor asked staff to circulate Heather’s earlier email and the complete Park Service correspondence; staff agreed to forward the full packet to the board. During discussion staff clarified they were not aware of a direct monetary exchange to the Conservation Fund for the parcel in the county portion; the record indicated the Conservation Fund had owned the parcel and was working to sell it to the Park Service to meet federal grant requirements.
Action taken: On a motion to approve the county’s no‑objection letter for the sale, the board recorded votes as follows: Ms. Bechtold — yes; Mr. Cox — yes; Ms. Cookenbrook — no; Mr. Terman — yes. Staff will forward the Park Service correspondence to board members for their records. The vote does not itself transfer property; it expresses the county’s non‑objection as requested by the Park Service and Conservation Fund.
