JAMES CITY — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday added to the agricultural and forestal districts in the county, making sure more land is conserved and protected.
The board approved the addition of over 65 acres to the agricultural and forestal districts — roughly 16 acres added to the Mill Creek AFD and around 50 acres added to the Barnes Swamp AFD. These districts are designated as conservation areas, set aside for agricultural production, timber and the preservation of open land for environmental and economic value.
Linda Rice applied to have nearly 17 acres of her property on Forge Road added to the Mill Creek AFD. A portion of the land, aside from the residence, is used for grazing horses, and the rest of the property is forested. Rice said she has no plans to harvest timber on the property.
The approval of Rice’s application brought the size of the Mill Creek AFD to 3,406 acres.
Nancy Bradshaw applied to have about 50 acres on Fire Tower Road added to the Barnes Swamp AFD. There is a residence on the property, but much of the property is forested, according to the agenda item.
The addition of the land brought the Barnes Swamp AFD to nearly 1,912 acres.
According to the county, AFDs are part of state policy to “conserve and protect and to encourage the development and improvement of the Commonwealth’s agricultural and forestal lands for the production of food and other agricultural and forestal products.”
Doing so also protects land and provides “essential open spaces for clean air sheds, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, as well as for aesthetic purposes.”
Also Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a change to the incoming industrial and commerce center at 275 Old Stage Road. Lovett Industrial will be allowed to put semi-trailer parking and loading docks in the interior of complex, which will shield them from public view.
The county has proffered for up to 3.2 million square feet of warehouse, industrial and office space to be built at the complex, along with up to 75,000 square feet of commercial space.
Sam Schaffer, samuel.schaffer@virginiamedia.com
![If it were not for the efforts of a William & Mary president in the 1960s there would not have been a marine science program to benefit from the school’s recent largest financial gift. Davis Y. Paschall, president 1960-1971, was instrumental in the development of the substantial academic programs of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at nearby Gloucester Point on the York River, The Virginia Fisheries Laboratory was established in 1940 as the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory as a joint effort between W&M and the Virginia Commission on Fisheries (now the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. It was initially organized […]](https://www.pilotonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/6SCYSOUXX5GSHC7UWSYZ2RSEAU.jpg?w=408 "If it were not for the efforts of a William & Mary president in the 1960s there would not have been a marine science program to benefit from the school’s recent largest financial gift. Davis Y. Paschall, president 1960-1971, was instrumental in the development of the substantial academic programs of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at nearby Gloucester Point on the York River, The Virginia Fisheries Laboratory was established in 1940 as the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory as a joint effort between W&M and the Virginia Commission on Fisheries (now the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. It was initially organized […]")
