Agricultural and Forestal Reserve

Overview

Prince William County’s rural areas are vital to the County’s economy, environment, and heritage. These lands sustain farming, protect water resources, and preserve the open spaces that define the County’s rural character while also serving to protect Marine Corps Base Quantico from developmental encroachment. Establishing an Agricultural and Forestal Reserve will strengthen these goals by promoting coordinated voluntary land preservation, and guiding compatible development in the county’s agricultural and forested areas. The County Executive was directed to develop and present to the Board a framework for the establishment of an Agricultural and Forestal Reserve (AFR). The framework should incorporate recommendations of the rural preservation study, particularly the purchase of development rights program and a transfer of development rights program, along with partnerships with conservation trusts and Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCBQ), to: • prevent developmental encroachment upon MCBQ • protect critical waterways, particularly those that feed into the Occoquan Reservoir • protect ecological, historical, and cultural areas • preserve farms and agricultural activities. Staff is further directed to present to the Board recommendations for funding sources for the PDR program, as well as identifying receiving areas for the TDR program based upon the 2040 Comprehensive Plan’s recommendations related to Activity Centers and Redevelopment Areas. The area of the AFR shall align with the Agritourism and Arts Overlay, the Occoquan River Protection Area, and the Marine Corps Base Quantico Special Planning Area. Parcels 5 acres and larger should be considered as eligible for participation in the AFR. The County Executive shall coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to prepare this framework and return to the Board by the end of March 2026, with recommendations and an implementation timeline. The intention is that already completed studies and recommendations be used in the formation of this framework, rather than new studies being ordered or conducted. The County Attorney's Office is directed to review the information and recommendations for any legal issues. When the staff work is complete, the County Executive should report back to the Board with their recommendations during a Board meeting or by memorandum, as they determine appropriate.

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