Commission finds three conservation easements substantially in accord with the comprehensive plan

The Pittsylvania County Planning Commission recommended that three proposed conservation easements be found substantially in accord with the county comprehensive plan during its Feb. 3 meeting.

Senior planner Kelly Smith told commissioners that the comprehensive plan requires the planning commission to review conservation-easement requests to verify that proposed protected parcels are designated for agricultural or conservation use on the future land-use map or that protection of the parcels is consistent with the plan’s intent and that the easement yields a public benefit. Smith introduced three requests: two separate easements for parcels owned by John Vernon Geyer (46.2465 acres and 8.9351 acres, both on Johnson Mill Road in the Stanton River Election District) and the Cherrystone easement for 13.76 acres on Batterman Road in the Chatham-Blairs Election District.

For the Geyer property, staff said Rez (agency name in packet) had entered a mitigation project agreement with the landowner that details requirements including recordation of a conservation easement; Mike Fultz, identified as project manager from Rez, was present for questions. "Staff recommends that the planning commission find the proposed conservation easement to be substantially in accord with the comprehensive plan," Smith said. Commissioners moved and the commission voted to recommend the two Geyer easements 6–0.

For the Cherrystone easement, staff noted that the parcel had been subdivided since application, that a new GPIN was issued and that a portion of the former parcel had been sold to Williams Pipeline Services LLC; Ben Garten of Broadwater Innovations was present. Staff again recommended a finding of substantial accord with the comprehensive plan. The commission moved and approved the Cherrystone easement; the meeting transcript records the vote line as “16 to 0,” which appears to be a numeric transcription error inconsistent with the rest of the meeting record; the correct roll-call tally for the commission at this meeting is recorded elsewhere in the transcript as 6–0. The commission adjourned at 7:23 p.m.

The planning commission’s favorable findings are advisory determinations that the Board of Supervisors may use in considering easement recordation and any related conservation or mitigation agreements.