To the Editor:
The Page County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors have taken an important step in cementing the identify of Page County as a primarily agricultural community. At the combined Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors meeting on April 18, a zoning amendment was approved to allow farming/livestock activities in areas zoned residential, with the adoption of a new zoning category, the residential farm. The number and type of animals allowed are based on acreage.
Members of 4-H are exempt, and they are permitted to have the number of animals needed for their projects. Importantly, most of the speakers in favor of this new zoning category were 4H members, who made impressive presentations. Page County has an outstanding group of future farmers. Several supervisors commented that the County has always been — and will always be — an agricultural and farming community.
I hope to see continued evidence of this concept in the upcoming revisions to the overall zoning code, as well as the adoption of the ordinance regarding industrial solar, which will soon be voted on by the Board of Supervisors. When the ordinance was passed unanimously by the Planning Commission, members commented on the importance of farmland preservation FOR FARMING.
It is essential that — to preserve the character of the county — farmland be preserved and farming be encouraged and supported. Placing an industrial solar factory on farmland is not farming.
It is vital to the future of the County — as an agricultural county — that the Supervisors stand by the words they spoke at the April 18 meeting. They must adopt the solar ordinance, approved unanimously by the Planning Commission, to preserve the agricultural character and the farmland of Page County. They must also, as part of this focus for the future of farming in Page County, deny the massive proposed solar factory on 340 North farmland between Old Farms and Kimball Road.
Cathy Herbert ~ Luray, Va.
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Ms Herbert: Great letter. Page should always be a farming community, and the farmers should be supported.
One thing though. Have you checked if the farmers are against solar power plants in Page County?
As far as I can tell, none of the are.
Several members of the planning commission, including Chair Jared Burner, are farmers in Page County. there is also this https://pagevalleynews.com/farmers-association-cape-solar-offers-no-substantial-net-benefit-to-the-county/