Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Farmers and residents urge Craig County supervisors to adopt Land Use tax deferment to protect farms
Summary
Members of the Craig County Farmers Committee presented survey and GIS data to the Board on July 11, urging a Land Use tax deferment to preserve family farms, support ag education and protect tourism; speakers also urged exploring grant-funded energy plans to diversify revenue.
Angie Guthrie Potton, a member of the Craig County Farmers Committee, told the Board of Supervisors on July 11 that the committee has gathered more than 100 signatures supporting a Land Use tax deferment and that roughly 200 county parcels appear to be active agricultural producers based on insurance and production patterns. “Land Use is the only way we can make this happen,” Guthrie Potton said during the public-comment presentation.
Rebecca Frango, speaking for the committee, summarized a GIS review that identified 363 parcels of 50–199 acres, 40 parcels of 200–299 acres, and 14 parcels of 300 acres or more. Frango said those parcel counts — and experience in neighboring counties such as Giles, which limits new applications to reassessment cycles — informed the committee’s estimate of administrative workload and enrollment timelines.
Jim Joyce, a resident who has worked with the regional planning technical writer, urged the board to pair any land-use ordinance with an Energy Action/Management Plan that could unlock state and federal grants. “Instead of a solar ordinance why not make an energy action plan,” Joyce said, arguing an action plan could help the county access funding for broadband, water infrastructure and other rural projects while protecting open landscapes.
Supporters framed the proposal as a preservation tool: speakers warned that unchecked parcel subdivision or large-scale energy infrastructure could reduce scenic value and undermine the county’s nascent tourism efforts. Opponents and cautious observers raised fiscal questions: resident Jason Sarine said a rural county with roughly 5,000 residents and limited tax base risks budget shortfalls if significant tax deferments are granted to large landowners.
Board members did not take a formal vote on Land Use during the meeting. Several presenters asked the board to study administrative costs, enrollment windows and potential revenue offsets; speakers said they would welcome county staff estimates on expected participation and fiscal impact. The board acknowledged the comments and public input but made no immediate policy change.
What’s next: presenters said they will continue outreach, return with more precise participation estimates and requested the board consider timing options used by other Virginia localities (for example, processing applications at reassessment instead of annual filings).
