Accomack County committee approves removal of 1.4-acre parcel from Greenbush Agricultural and Forestal District

A county agricultural-district committee voted to remove a 1.4-acre portion of tax parcel 77-A-132, located at 21220 Adams Road in Greenbush, from the Greenbush Agricultural and Forestal District, the committee chair said.

Staff told the committee that the affected parcel is part of a 198-acre farm owned by David Evans and that the applicant sought to subdivide a 1.4-acre section to allow sale of a residence. "The staff recommends approval of the subdivision, given the approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals for the variance and the relatively low impact of a 1.4 acre subdivision from a 198 acre parcel," the staff member said during the presentation.

Applicant William Christopher Daley addressed the committee during public comment, saying the subdivision was intended to help preserve the remainder of the farm while allowing the house to be sold. Daley urged the committee to consider conservation goals and criticized what he described as a lengthy process that delayed marketing the house. "Again, you're making this gentleman jump through 6 months worth of these meetings before granting this when you could just use the ordinance," Daley said.

Committee members proceeded to a motion to remove the 1.4-acre portion from the district; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the public transcript. The committee chair said staff would follow up on Daley's concerns about the broader district review process but that the committee's action that day would be limited to the removal request.

The removal affects tax map 77-A-132 and is intended to permit the small subdivided lot to be sold separately from the larger farm while the bulk of the acreage remains in agricultural production. The committee noted the parcel had received a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals for lack of road frontage prior to the subdivision request.