Comprehensive plan delayed

The commission intends to vote on the recommendation later this month.

BY Maria Basileo

Nearing the end of its process, the Culpeper County Planning Commission voted on Sept. 22 to delay its recommendation of passage or denial of the comprehensive plan until more details become ironed out.

“This is a very important document to us because the planning commission uses it almost though it’s the Bible when we get a rezoning,” said commission member Cinthia Thornhill. “There are still instances in here where I think there is editorial comment.”

The comprehensive plan is Culpeper County’s o cial policy guide for current and future growth decisions as well as provides a picture of how the county wishes to develop in the next fi ve to 20 years. The plan provides a roadmap for decision makers to determine the best methods and strategies for achieving the conceptualized goals.

The commission voted to send the plan back to county planning sta to solidify language and lay out concrete plans to hire an agriculture economic specialist.

“That job, as we talked about, is so di erent from any other type of economic development thay anybody that is currently on sta , in my opinion, is not capable of performing those tasks,” said commission member Catherine “Katie” Reames.

The commission intends to vote whether to move forward with recommending the plan to the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors later this month.

The proposed plan contains seven chapters, including land use and development, transportation, environmental and historical resources, economic development, community resources and utilities.

The plan addresses land use and development through a lens of

“The single largest land use issue in Culpeper County is properly balancing growth pressure and interests with the desire of preserving the agricultural, rural and small town heritage of the County,” the plan reads.

While growth is expected and benefi cial, the plan continues, large scale development, “especially in the heart of agricultural and aesthetic rural lands, can threaten the county's current quality of life and its valued historic and rural resources.”

The proposal also addresses two hot-button issues in the county: utility systems such as solar and data centers.

“While necessary, this type of (utility) infrastructure can have signifi cant and disruptive land use impacts, such as sizable building footprints, large structural height, air emissions, and the generation of light and noise,” the document reads.

The increased outside interest in establishing solar utility sites within the county have resulted in the creation and implementation of a Utility-Scale Solar Facility Development Policy all while work continues to further adopt zoning ordinance amendments to address land usage.

Also addressed were the pros and cons of data centers such as large building footprints, the need for high-capacity power lines and demand for other utilities such as water and sewer.

“These factors necessitate careful consideration on where future data centers should be located to minimize their impact on the County's varied land use goals.” maria@culpepertimes.com

Town of Culpeper Holiday Refuse Collection Schedule

In observance of Columbus Day, the Town O ces will be closed Monday, October 10, 2022.

Trash schedule will be as follows:

Monday 10/10/2022 – Holiday; no refuse collection

Tuesday 10/11/2022 – Monday & Tuesday’s refuse collection

Wednesday 10/12/2022 – Regular refuse collection

Thursday 10/13/2022 – Regular refuse collection

Friday 10/14/2022—Regular refuse collection

Grab your friends for a night out at the Pamper Me Pink event.

Treat yourself to:

•Chair massage • Hand wax treatment • Door prizes from Pepperberries, including a $500 grand prize!

Feel Good Doing Good

Your donation benefits the Pamper Me Pink Mammography Fund—ensuring no one in our community goes without a lifesaving mammogram or follow-up imaging.

Join the Fun

Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 5 to 8:45 p.m. Germanna’s Daniel Technology Center

Visit NovantHealthUVA.org/pampermepink to Learn More

Can’t Make It? We invite you to donate. Learn how at NovantHealthUVA.org/pampermepink

Presented by Pepperberries and UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center

Culpeper’s 25th Annual Farm Tour did not disappoint, drawing thousands of visitors from surrounding counties and states to join in fun at Culpeper farms.

The event, sponsored by Culpeper County’s Department of Economic Development, showcased Culpeper farms and allowed the 3,635 tallied visitors to learn up close. The variety of farms, activities, demonstrations and vendors gave visitors options for all day fun.

“We’re extremely excited about the turnout for this year’s farm tour,” said Event Coordinator Winona Pritts. “Working with our farms and seeing how excited they are to welcome visitors, showcase their knowledge, and bring a smile to visitors' faces made celebrating the 25th anniversary of the farm tour all the more fun.”

“We had the best day exploring our local agricultural properties,” said Culpeper resident and fi rst-time farm tour visitor Julie Johnson. “Thanks to all for opening your beautiful land for us to explore and learn.”

Among the most popular of activities was Bees & Trees Farm’s honey extraction demonstration showcasing how to extract honey from beehives and allowing attendees to sample delicious honey straight from the hive. The open year-round farm store was a buzz with visitors picking up their favorite honey, jams, barbeque sauces and more.

Another popular stop was Andora Farm’s Daniel Boone’s Day Celebration, showcasing colonial crafters including soap makers, quilt makers, pottery makers and a blacksmith.

Visitors could also take in a black powder rifl e demonstration, a living history encampment and re-enactment, team-penning demonstrations, and pony rides.

Visitors fl ocked to purchase their favorite items, as was found at Seek Lavender, which hosted an array of vendors ranging from a brewery to a bakery that o ered products made special for the event, all infused with lavender.

The event, celebrating 25 years, has continued to grow since Pritts took over the event. In just fi ve years, the visitor count has tripled. As the event grows, recognition of those farms participating in the event continues to grow, bringing visitors back to Culpeper throughout the year.

“It’s great to see the passion our community has for this event and the continued patronage of our agricultural businesses,” Pritts said. “The farm tour provides an opportunity for farms and visitors to come together for an excellent weekend of activities, education, and celebration each year.”

TIM HICKLING | CULPEPER TIMES The event showcases Culpeper farms and allowed the 3,635 tallied visitors to learn up close

The Culpeper Food Closet Need of the Week

This week the Culpeper Food Closet is in need of heat and eat meals, canned pasta, beef stew, complete meals, fruit juices and toilet paper. The Food Closet provides food and personal care items for Culpeper families, individuals, and seniors in need of assistance. Website: ststephensculpeper.net | (540) 825-1177 | Email: culpeperfoodcloset@gmail.com.

We are Hosting the Annual Toy Chest Drive Nov 5 – Dec 13!

Kristen J. Johnson Wayne English