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must realize that those tax bills will really soar if just a few farmers are forced to sell out to developers because they can’t make a living off their land.
The tax benefits of land use are important to fanners. But maybe even more important is the program’s psychological impact. It’s an affirmation of support for Rappahannock’s farmers whose rolling fields and pastures give the county much of its beauty, charm and character.
Rappahannock’s zoning laws are designed to promote and protect the county’s agricultural, forestal and horticultural base while allowing for controlled development. The laws that have functioned so well for the last two decades have been reviewed and revised by the Planning Commission and will be put before the citizens of Rappahannock at public hearings in the next few months. The Planning Commission has worked to maintain the primary emphasis of the zoning ordinances. Those of us who believe that the county’s future should be tied to the maintenance of its agricultural base need to support adoption of zoning laws that will encourage farmland preservation.
Through that support and the support of use value taxation, we can recognize Virginia Agricultural Week in a way that means something.
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