Habitat hosting good neighbor event

Published in Powhatan Today, Sept. 20, 2024

On National Good Neighbor Day, hosted by Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan, join experts in conservation easements/subdivisions and agricultural and forestry districts at the Powhatan County Library from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.

A local expert in conservation easement design, Powhatan resident Bob Reilly, a member of Powhatan’s Agricultural and Forestal District Program committee, will give an overview on what conservation easements are and how they function to protect the region’s watershed, flora and fauna, and their inclusion in the county’s 2021 comprehensive plan.

Betty Walters, vice chair of Powhatan’s Agricultural and Forestal District Program committee, will give an overview of how conservation easements can complement agricultural and forestral districts.

According to the American Planning Association, a conservation subdivision is a residential neighborhood that dedicates at least half of its potentially buildable land area to undivided, permanently protected open space. In contrast, a conventional subdivision devotes all, or nearly all, buildable land area to individual lots and streets.

Other speakers will cover how conservation easement deeds are enforced and how homeowner associations with these neighborhoods can work.

Also on hand will be copies of Powhatan’s comprehensive land use plan, its current conservation subdivision ordinance and a list of existing county conservation easements from the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s database.

Of the estimated total land area of Virginia, 25.27 million acres, over 4.28 million acres or 16.96% is “currently protected” as of June 2023, according to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Good Neighbor Day was the idea of Becky Mattson in the early 1970s when she desired to better connect with her neighbors in Lakeside, Montana. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter established it as a national day for promoting understanding between people and building stronger communities. President Carter also has been a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity since 1984.