Automation of the Land Use Program

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

In 1971, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law permitting localities to adopt a program of special assessments for agricultural, horticultural, forest and open space lands. The goals of these codes were to:- Encourage the preservation and proper use of such real estate in order to assure a readily available source of agricultural, horticultural and forest products and of open space within the concentrations of populations.- Conserve natural resources in forms that will prevent erosion and to protect adequate and safe water supplies.- Preserver scenic natural beauty and open spaces.- Promote proper land-use planning and the orderly development of real estate for accommodation of an expanding population.- Promote a balanced economy and improve pressures that force conversion of such real estate to more intensive uses.The State Code established the State Land Evaluation Advisory Council (SLEAC), composed of the Commission of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the State Forester, the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Tax Commissioner, and the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to prescribe uniform standards for qualifications to assist landowners wishing to qualify for use-value assessments.The SLEAC Council publishes a range of suggested values for the classes of agricultural, horticultural, forest and open space land in the localities that have adopted a use-value program. There are eight (8) classes in agricultural, horticultural, and open space ranging from I through VIII (with and without risk). There are four (4) classes in forest: excellent, good, fair, and poor (with and without risk).In 2012, assessment records in Chesterfield County showed there were 718 parcels enrolled in the land use program, totaling 61,256 acres (21 percent of the county). In 2009, the Department of Real Estate Assessments (DREA) embarked on a process of changing the procedure of how land use values were created. This new digital mapping process replaced the outdated paper maps by incorporating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software (ArcMap) and aerial imagery. By creating digital maps the DREA was able to produce more accurate land use values and save time.