Jack Miller (Middlesex);
David Milby (VA Dept. of Forestry); Prue Davis, Dorothy Miller (Essex), Rick
Allen, Anne Ducey-Ortiz (Gloucester); Mary Ann Krenzke, Mike Anderberg, Lorna
Anderberg (Friends of Dragon Run); Robert Gibson (King and Queen); David
Birdsall (Resource Management Service, Inc.); Andy Lacatell (The Nature
Conservancy); Willy Reay (Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve -
Virginia); David Fuss (MPPDC)
David Fuss welcomed the
Advisory Group. He provided informational updates about:
·
Forest Legacy funding
proposal – designed to protect working forests, the VA Dept. of Forestry
requests $3 million in FY04 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture budget for fee simple and
conservation easement purchases; The Nature Conservancy developed the draft
proposal and will provide $1 million in match funds
·
Dragon Run Land Use
Policy Audit – MPPDC received 4 proposals; the review team will rank proposals;
hope to start the project in March
·
Dragon Run Natural
Resources Symposium – organized by the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve in Virginia, this was designed as an information exchange
between agencies and organizations involved in natural resource data collection
in the Dragon Run; briefings on presentations by the Virginia Coastal Program,
VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries, VA Dept. of Environmental Quality,
Virginia Commonwealth University, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of Dragon
Run, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Virginia Institute of Marine
Science, and Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia
David Fuss reviewed recommendations
that have received approval at previous meetings, such as:
·
Establish Dragon Run Watershed Overlay District
·
Establish Public Education Campaign
·
Develop Awards Program
·
Erect Watershed
Boundary Signs
·
Promote Use of Forest
Stewardship Plans
·
Promote Use of Farm
Programs/Plans (e.g. EQIP, nutrient management)
David Fuss distributed a
handout that provided background on overlay districts and a conceptual idea of
a Dragon Run Watershed Overlay District.
Group discussion points included:
·
Concern about property
rights and performance standards
·
Will there be the
political will for an overlay zoning district?
·
Example of Dragon Run
Conservation District adopted in 1987 by 3 of 4 counties
·
“Come-here’s” might be
less willing to impose restrictions than “been-here’s”
·
Research supports the
idea of the Dragon Run deserving special treatment
·
Performance standards
could be worked out proceeding backward from the vision of the outcome
·
How would overlay
districts be applied?
·
Performance standards
o
Expanded buffer with
BMPs inside that buffer (ex. 300 ft.)
o
Is an expanded buffer
feasible under the Dillon Rule? Probably
o
Buffer must be
defensible – water quality is not defensible above 100 ft buffer, but could use
wildlife, groundwater flow for up to 300 ft
o
Soil types, wetland
types – determinations are not easy
o
Numeric setback –
special conditions could apply, but landowner would have to pay for that
determination/evidence
·
Dragon Run Steering
Committee review of rezoning requests, conditional use permits, special
exceptions
o
Good idea, but
investigate legal ramifications
o
Feasibility
o
Time frame,
notification
o
How would it work? Ex)
special meeting; designee (chair); staff support; engage/inform adjacent
locality (i.e. adjacent counties offer input)
·
Opportunity as a tool
to address development
·
Grandfather clause for
current landowners – stronger protections kick in later
The group briefly discussed
the need to address other possible actions and ideas. A list of ideas that
surfaced in previous meetings follows:
·
No wake zones
·
Exceptional waters designation
·
Natural Area Preserves
·
Recreational carrying capacity/access
·
Signage notifying boaters of private property rights
·
Conservation easements
·
Economic/tax forces fragmenting traditional uses
Advisory Group members also
added cluster/conservation subdivision and invasive species (e.g. blue
catfish).
Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned.
The next SAMP Advisory Group meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 11 at 6:30
PM at the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission offices. Hors d’oeuvres
will be served.