Local Update for PEC Supporters in Fauquier County

PEC Member Update: Fauquier County
Photos by Tom Wheeler,
Marco Sanchez, Paula Combs

♦ The Piedmont Environmental Council ♦
Chris Miller
Piedmont Environmental Council
President

Julie Bolthouse
Fauquier
Land Use Representative
Today’s Presenters
Matt Coyle
Outreach & Communications
Local Food Systems Coord.
Mike Kane
Land Conservation
Director of Conservation

Tracy Lind
Clarke, Fauquier &
Loudoun County
Land Conservation Field Rep.
Maggi Blomstrom
Rappahannock-Rapidan
Conservation Initiative
Coordinator
Other Fauquier Field Staff
Claire Catlett
Fauquier & Rappahannock

Today’s Webinar
Welcome + Introduction
1. Local Land Use
2. Land and Water Conservation News
3. Local Farms + Food
Open Conversation

PEC COVID-19 Response
● Oﬃces remain closed except essential functions
● All staff working remotely
● In person events postponed or cancelled
● PEC’s Community Farm operating, now with volunteers
expanding production 3X’s plus
● PEC staff expanding online offerings
● Staff remain full time but program expenses and contracts
are being cut
● Continuous review of programs and ﬁscal conditions

Big Picture: Preparing for Change
● COVID-19 has changed our
workplaces, the economy and
assumptions about
community design
● Renewed debate about
housing patterns,
transportation, renewable
energy
● Conservation in the Future
● Federal elections 2020/State
Elections 2021

General Assembly - Special Session August 18
● Focus on budget
● Concerns about cuts to
conservation programs:
○ Land Preservation
Tax Credit
○ VA Land
Conservation
Foundation
○ Agricultural Best
Management
Practices
● Growing scrutiny of
equity & environmental
justice

Areas of Focus
● Food systems, food security
● Local planning and investment in open space, trails, parks,
greenways and blueways
● Local and state decision making and citizen participation,
preparing for the Special Session August 18-?
● Supporting priority of investment in conservation and
restoration as a priority response
● Demonstrate PEC’s connection and interest in
communities and individuals, including creating action
steps around diversity, equity, inclusion, justice (DEIJ)

● Oak Hill (1,200+ acres)
● Fleetwood (2,500+ acres)
● Herren Farm (1,175 acres)
● Madden Farm (348 acres)
● Auburn (422 acres)
● Goodall Farm (592 acres)
● M&W Farms (453 acres)
High Impact
Conservation Initiatives

● Makielski (5 acres) -- Albemarle
● Market Street (.85 acres) --
Gordonsville
● Haney (114 acres) -- Orange
● Walker (50 acres) -- Culpeper
● Madden (348 acres) -- Culpeper
● Duncan (122 acres) -- Culpeper
● Siebentritt (29 acres) -- Loudoun
● Simpson (255 acres) -- Loudoun
● Ewell (58 acres) -- Fauquier
● Gray (107 acres) -- Fauquier
Ongoing Projects

PEC Properties Providing Needed Public Access:
Piedmont Memorial Overlook

Fleetwood Farm
● 2,622 acres in N. Fauquier, near Paris, VA
● Crooked Run Rural Historic District
● Extensive frontage on two Virginia Scenic
Byways (Route 17 & Leeds Manor)
● Adjacent to two Virginia public lands (Sky
Meadows State Park, Thompson WMA)
● Viewshed of PEC’s Piedmont Memorial
Overlook
● Battle of Upperville Study Area
● Conserve Virginia priority (historic district,
scenic byway)
● Asking price = $23M or $8,770 per acre
Photo by Hugh Kenny

● Register for
webinar at
pecva.org/events
● Campaign runs
through Aug. 31

Julie Bolthouse
jbolthouse@pecva.org
Land Use Updates

Julie Bolthouse ♦ The Piedmont Environmental Council ♦ jbolthouse@pecva.org
Status of Local Land Use

So what does this all mean in terms
of advocacy?

Disposal of Excavated Fill on Rural Lands
Credit: Henry Harris

Utility Scale Solar on Rural Lands
Credit: Bri West

6,300-acres site clearcut

Utility Scale Solar on Rural Lands
Planning Commission recommended approval -
February 20, 2020
Board of Supervisors Work Session -
August 13, 2020
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing -
September 10, 2020

Warrenton Comprehensive Plan

New
Transportation
Plan with
Western Bypass

Southern Parkway

Water Upgrades
Graph created by Citizens for Fauquier County

Planning Commission scheduled meet -
August 18, 2020
Town Council Work Session -
September 3, 2020
Town Council Public Hearing -
September 8, 2020
Warrenton Comp Plan Timeline

Ways to Follow Land Use Issues
● Fauquier Times - Legal Announcements in Classifieds
● Town of Warrenton -
Agendas, Minutes and Video Recordings webpage
● Town of the Plains webpage
● Town of Remington webpage
● Fauquier County webpages:
○ Meeting Agendas
○ Live Streaming
○ Application Tracker Map
○ Land Development Online Portal

In Summary...
Disposal of Fill on Rural Lands - Ongoing
Utility Scale Solar on Rural Lands:
● BOS Work Session - August 13
● BOS Public Hearing - September 10
Warrenton Comprehensive Plan Update -
● Planning Commission - August 18
● Town Council Public Hearing - September 8
Stay Informed and Engaged!

Land and Water Conservation Update
Mike Kane
mkane@pecva.org

Michael Kane ♦ The Piedmont Environmental Council ♦ mkane@pecva.org
Land Conservation
A Model for the Commonwealth
Fauquier ranks #1 in Virginia
in private land conserved for
the public benefit.
● 108,687 acres protected by
conservation easement
● Over 26% of the Fauquier’s
land area
•

● Outreach. Webinars & other
digital media
● Outreach. Land Conservation
Update mailing to 5,500
landowners
● Education. Property site
visits (socially distant)
● Assistance. Partner with
landowners and Fauquier
Co. on easement donations
Land Conservation
Keeping the Momentum in COVID-19 Era

Fauquier
Farm & Land
Conservation
Webinar
May 12, 2020
PEC Julian Scheer Fauquier
Land Conservation Fund
Claire Catlett
Maggi
Blomstrom

StateandLocalPDRPrograms
LandPreservationTaxCredit
FederalTaxIncentives
FederalandStateGrants
Incentives for land
conservation in
Fauquier County
remain strong...
...for now
Four Legs of Conservation Funding

“Sometimes, a persistent challenge can be overcome with
a simple — but elegant— solution.”
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Piedmont Environmental Council,
“Gap Financing for Water Quality Improvements”
The Chesapeake Bay Land and Water Initiative

Clean Water
Agricultural Best Management Practices
PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Rothwell PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Kane PEC
Agricultural Best Management Practices are one of the most effective tools for
preventing runoff and restoring local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.
John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District provides funding and technical
assistance to implement Ag BMPs. But, there is a problem…..

The Problem: Willing landowners don’t participate in the BMP
program because they don’t have the $$ to front the cost of
implementing BMPs, even though they will be reimbursed after
completion. It’s a short term funding problem.
The Solution: Remove the barrier (and accelerate the pace of
BMP implementation) by providing short term loan (120 days)
to fill the funding gap using PEC Conservation Funds.
Clean Water
Agricultural BMP Loan Program

“We couldn’t have afforded it, otherwise, when all the fences fall down… Dean
would’ve had to give up the cows and farming. This lets us start anew.” -Carina Elgin
Pictured: Dean and Carina Elgin; Photo by Hugh Kenny
Clean Water
Mountain Hollow Farm-Pilot Project
● Protect over 4,140 linear feet of
tributaries to Hungry Run
● New well and watering system
● Cross fencing for rotational
grazing
● Short term loan of $65,000 from
Rowley Goose Creek Fund
● Project complete and repaid

Clean Water

Open Space + Public Places
along the Blue Ridge

Photo by Marco Sanchez
Open Spaces + Public Places
PEC’s Piedmont Memorial Overlook - Paris

Fleetwood Farm
● 2,622 acres in N. Fauquier, near Paris, VA
● Crooked Run Rural Historic District
● Extensive frontage on two Virginia Scenic
Byways (Route 17 & Leeds Manor)
● Adjacent to two Virginia public lands (Sky
Meadows State Park, Thompson WMA)
● Viewshed of the AT National Scenic Trail
● Viewshed of PEC’s Piedmont Memorial
Overlook
● Battle of Upperville Study Area
● Conserve Virginia priority (historic district,
scenic byway)
Photo by Hugh Kenny

Blue Ridge Conservation Alliance
Insert BRCA
Map/text

Open Space + Public Places
along the Rappahannock

Fauquier Co. Riverside Preserve - Hume

Fauquier Co. Rappahannock Station Park - Remington

Rappahannock-Rapidan River Access Opportunities

Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Partnership

The Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Partnership is as a regional
partnership to accelerate farmland conservation and water quality improvements
Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Partnership

Conservation Summary
Sustaining the Momentum for Land Conservation
● Private landowners providing public benefits
● New and old methods for landowner outreach
● Ensuring robust incentives for conservation
Innovating to Solve Resource Protection Challenges
Expanding Opportunities to Experience the Piedmont
The Power of Partnerships

Tracy Lind
Clarke, Fauquier &
Loudoun County
Maggi Blomstrom
Rappahannock-Rapidan
Conservation Initiative
Coordinator
Conservation Leaders in Fauquier
Claire Catlett
Fauquier & Rappahannock

Matt Coyle
mcoyle@pecva.org
Local Food Updates

Matt Coyle ♦ The Piedmont Environmental Council ♦ mcoyle@pecva.org

Buy Fresh Buy Local Website Re-Launch
● text

https://www.buylocalpiedmont.org/
Buy Fresh Buy Local Website Re-Launch

PEC’s Milk Initiative

PEC’s Beef Initiative

Local Food: Processing

Questions?
Photo by Tom Wheeler,
Altitude Adjustment, LLC

Fauquier Farmland Conservation
Conservation
Easements
Today:
● 1,617 acres in 2019
● 108,687 acres total
● Over ¼ County protected
•

VA Ag. Cost Share Program
Cattle-exclusion fencing
Water sources
Hardened Stream Crossings
Cover Crops & No-till
Nutrient Management Plan
Composting & Waste management
Agricultural Best Management Practices
PHOTO CREDIT: CLAIRE CATLETT, PEC PHOTO CREDIT: CLAIRE CATLETT, PEC

Read more about the Elgins in the Middleburg Life, May 2020 issue:
https://www.middleburglife.com/epublication/

“We couldn’t have afforded it, otherwise, when all the fences
fall down… Dean would’ve had to give up the cows and
farming. This lets us start anew.” -Carina Elgin
Pictured: Dean and Carina Elgin; Photo by Hugh Kenny
Agricultural BMPs at
Mountain Hollow Farm, The Plains

4,200 linear feet of stream
exclusion fencing
New cattle
watering
system
Cross-fencing
& gates
Agricultural BMPS at Flippo Farm, Sumerduck

Agricultural BMPs at Clifton Farm, Warrenton

PEC Land Conservation Funds
● Julian Scheer Fauquier Land Conservation Fund
● James M. Rowley Goose Creek Conservation Fund
● Bull Run Mountain Conservation Fund
PHOTO CREDIT FREDERICK B EBERHART

Fauquier County
Purchase of Development
Rights (PDR) Program
Fauquier Farmland Conservation
APPLY for FALL 2020!

https://www.pecva.org/our-mission/clean-air-and-water/improving-water-quality/
1571-capturing-the-rain-green-infrastructure-options-for-hoa-common-areas

Clean Water
Flippo / Lunsford Farm - Southern Fauquier
● 246 acre cattle farm
Summerduck Run
● Protect 65 acres of riparian areas
● Alternative watering system
Julian Scheer Fauquier Fund
● Project complete and repaid

● 890 acre field station
Cedar Run headwaters
● Well + watering system
● Support grazing demo project
Julian Scheer Fauquier Fund
● Project timeline - 2020-21
Clean Water
Clifton Institute - Warrenton

Fauquier’s Conservation Ethic
● Cool Lawn Farm is 800+ protected acres of farmland near
Remington
● Fauquier Co. Purchase of Development Rights program funds
helped protect their farm in easement and expand the family-run
farm business

Local Update for PEC Supporters in Fauquier County

Local Update for PEC Supporters in Fauquier County

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