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Resident asks county to lease back FEMA buyout lot; board discusses lease pilot to return property to tax roll
Summary
A presenter requested to reclaim a FEMA buyout lot; the board said FEMA-owned buyout land cannot be sold but can potentially be leased. The board discussed leasing as a pilot to return land to the tax rolls and clean up properties.
A presenter asked the Louisa County board about buying back a 0.97-acre parcel previously bought out under a FEMA program and said the land had been in the family since the 1940s. The Chair explained the county cannot sell FEMA-owned buyout land but suggested leasing the parcel back as a pilot if permissible.
The presenter (Presenter S4) described personal ties to the property and said he would prefer to buy it back and clean it up. The Chair responded that once the federal government acquires FEMA buyout land it becomes federal property and “we can't sell it,” but said lease arrangements may be possible to place the property back on the tax rolls and prevent it from sitting idle.
Board members discussed researching tax implications and drafting lease terms, including how county costs and taxes would be covered by any lease. The Chair said he would work with staff (Adam Parsons was mentioned as a point of contact) to get figures on taxes and to draft lease language for future consideration; he also suggested trying a single property as a test case.
Next steps: Chair and staff will prepare draft lease language and tax estimates for the property and consider adding a policy item or program to the agenda so the board can decide formally whether to pursue leasing FEMA buyout parcels.
