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Bedford council to consider transfer of two parcels near Stoney Creek Reservoir after water authority request
Summary
Town Manager Bart Warner said on the town podcast that the Bedford Regional Water Authority has requested two parcels adjacent to Stoney Creek Reservoir and that the council discussed the request in closed session; public commenters urged transparency and raised deed-restriction concerns.
Town Manager Bart Warner said the Bedford Regional Water Authority has asked the town to transfer two parcels the town retained adjacent to Stoney Creek Reservoir, and that the authority will consider a proposal at its Feb. 19 meeting before the town places the matter on a public agenda.
Warner summarized public comments made at the Jan. 20 council meeting, including resident Leslie Mahaffey’s assertion that deed language on town-retained parcels near Stoney Creek restricts activity to "agriculture, horticulture, or cibiculture activities" and therefore may limit residential or commercial development. Warner said the town will treat such legal constraints as part of any public process.
Danny Hilton, another commenter, provided historical context for the reservoir and told the council that two of the parcels the town retained appear to be functional parts of the reservoir; he said those parcels probably should be transferred to the Bedford Regional Water Authority to ensure long-term protection and operational clarity. Warner said the closed sessions involving the reservoir property followed a formal request from the water authority and were intended to preserve the town’s bargaining position during early negotiations.
Warner also reiterated that Virginia law requires any sale or disposition of public property be completed through an open, public process. "Once we receive the water authority's request, we will add an item of new business and discuss that in public," he said.
The podcast account did not include final terms or a formal council vote on the parcels; Warner reported only that the authority plans to take up the request on Feb. 19 and that the town will respond after that board action. Residents who raised deed-related concerns asked that any future consideration include public notice and competitive bidding, if a sale is proposed.
Next steps: the Bedford Regional Water Authority will consider a proposal at its Feb. 19 meeting; the town expects to publish a public agenda and discuss the matter in open session after the authority acts.
