A 288 acre farm in Crozet, Virginia is the first property to be protected from development under a program that was funded by the 2007 General Assembly and designed to stop the loss of farmland and forests. The farm has 128 acres in agriculture and more than 6,700 feet fronting on the protected Beaver Creek Reservoir. Under the program Albemarle County was the recipient of a grant of $403,220 to purchase the development rights.
Albemarle County now has more than 74,000 acres of farm and forest protected. They especially target properties that protect critical natural resources. The use of easements can help to keep farmland in agriculture by compensating a farmer for money that he might receive from developers.
The use of conservation easements is one more tool to use to keep the balance between growth and farm land in the Charlottesville area. It is important to preserve the rural beauty that makes Albemarle County such a special place in which to live.
For more information on farms, country homes and residential property in Charlottesville and Albemarle County contact:
Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES, NHD
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
434 960-0161
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleRealEstateTalk.com