What’s On the Agenda? Stafford’s Board of Supervisors Next Meeting on Sept. 3

Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 3. at 5 p.m.

On the agenda:

Planning and zoning is submitting a request to authorize the Interim County Administrator to purchase 55 acres off of Spotted Tavern Road as part of a land conservation program. The property is Tax Map Parcel No. 25-38 (Harris Property), and the request also includes budgeting and appropriating the state portion of the funds for the purchase.

The projected fiscal impact is $425k with at least $212k reimbursable by the Commonwealth.

The Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program is a growth management tool that offers landowners an alternative to selling land for development. The program preserves the County’s open space, agricultural and forested lands, and natural and cultural resources. Under the PDR Program, the County pays property owners to prevent the land from being developed, while the property owner retains ownership of the property, may reside on the property, and can maintain its existing uses. The program requires an agreement between the property owner and the County, and an easement restricting further development is placed on the property.

The Historical Preservation Committee is asking the board to considering evaluating several properties for preservation.

1 – Sherwood Forest Farm, 540 acres, contains numerous historic structures, and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been the subject of multiple architectural and archaeological surveys over the past decade, with future research potential. The current owner received a Historic Preservation Award for their efforts to stabilize several of the contributing buildings.

2 – Clifton Chapel, the site of a pre-1850 chapel which was occupied during the Civil War, restored post civil war and again in 2000-2001 by private individuals. It is an outstanding example of what is known as a ‘Chapel of Convenience’. Staff recommends that it be viewed as potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places pending formal evaluation. Attempts are being made to notify the owner of the ARB’s recommendation.

3 – The Architectural Review Board (ARB) has requested the Board consider addressing the condition of the Grizzle building at 60 Butler Road, a County-owned historic resource. The building is experiencing active deterioration which appears to be threatening its viability. The Board will be asked to consider that an assessment be done by a qualified engineer or preservation contractor in order to update our understanding of the building’s current condition.

Parks, Recreation, Facilities and Tourism are asking the board to approve $325k from the FY25 Capital Improvement Fund in order to purchase and install an agility and workout course at John Lee Pratt Memorial Park. The agility playground will be encourage children’s physical exercise, promote balance and skill development, and critical thinking skills. The workout stations will be set up around the walking and biking trails with a variety of equipment that targets different core muscle groups. 

The agility course at Pratt Park was approved and budgeted in the FY2025 Capital Improvement Program.