Mainland Farm may be protected from development as early as October, depending on a James City County Board of Supervisors vote.
Earlier this month, the county’s Economic Development Authority met to discuss transferring ownership of a 200-acre piece of property on Greensprings Road, known as Mainland Farm, to the county. The property is one of the longest continuously farmed properties in the U.S.
In 1997, the EDA entered into a contract to purchase Mainland Farm. In 1999, the $2.2 million deal closed, with the county paying the bill through the EDA over 10 years. The Board of Supervisors asked county staff in May to begin exploring ways to protect the land from non-agricultural development through an easement.
The board wanted to retake ownership of the land so it could put an easement on the property, but first an easement holder would have to be identified and the EDA would have to turn over the property.
On Sept. 12, the EDA began discussing transferring ownership to the county and considered a draft easement naming the Williamsburg Land Conservancy as the group to protect the land. Members of the EDA thought a draft easement they reviewed was too restrictive regarding uses that could draw tourists to the farm, such as corn mazes.
Deputy County Attorney Adam Kinsman went back to the drawing board to make changes to the document before the EDA voted to support it. The EDA will not vote on the final easement document; the Board of Supervisors will at an upcoming meeting.
Returning to the EDA on Monday, Kinsman brought another draft easement document where he added in language to allow corn mazes, carnivals, weddings, festivals and other outdoor events relating to education, history and the environment. He also added in farmer’s markets, greenhouses, orchards and other types of gardening and raising animals.
After reviewing the changes, EDA members were still concerned because wineries and vineyards would be permitted but cideries and microbreweries would not. Kinsman said he would add in wording to cover cideries and microbreweries without specifically naming them; he said he plans to write that any building supported by the property’s agriculture is permitted.
Satisfied with the new document and the change Kinsman said he would make, the EDA voted to allow the Office of Economic Development to transfer Mainland Farm’s ownership to the county. It also voted to recommend the Board of Supervisors put an easement on the property that’s very similar to the easement the EDA reviewed. The EDA also asked for rent from the property to be conveyed from the county to the EDA so it’s not lost as a revenue stream; the current renter pays $14,725 annually and the property lease ends in January 2016 with the option to renew until 2020.
If the board decides to give the rent money to the EDA, it would likely only apply to the current renter. Any future renter would come to a rent agreement with the county, not the EDA.
Kinsman said in an interview the property transfer and easement discussion will likely go before the board at its Oct. 8 meeting. The board will accept the property transfer and then, when it is ready, will vote on the easement. It will also decide whether to give the property rent to the EDA.
Because the EDA voted to transfer the property, it has no further say in what terms the easement includes.
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