Planning commission recommends Living Earth School special-use permit for nature-education campus near Walnut Creek Park

The Albemarle County Planning Commission on March 11 recommended approval of a special-use permit for the Living Earth School to establish a nature-education campus on a roughly 287‑acre rural property adjacent to Walnut Creek Park.

Staff summary and proposal

Scott Clark of the county’s Community Development department presented the application, which proposes: up to eight weeks per year of summer camp with as many as 250 overnight campers, year-round day and overnight programming with a 100-person cap for other weeks, up to 12 events per year of 200 or fewer attendees, and up to six fundraiser or community events per year for up to 500 attendees. The proposal would site a welcome pavilion, a main camp hall, cabins, up to six staff residences, primitive tent-camping areas and a riverside pavilion.

“Under by-right residential development, the property could be subdivided into about 23 dwellings,” Clark said, noting the camp’s footprint is concentrated in a small portion of the property and that staff judged the proposed layout to generally have less overall impact than full residential buildout. Clark also said the applicant has requested a critical-slopes waiver for a small…