THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 5, 1995 TAG: 9507050072
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors will reconsider the issue of giving real estate tax breaks intended to foster undeveloped, open-space land to golf courses.
On a 6-0 vote June 15, the board defeated a measure to eliminate a provision of the county's land-use tax assessment program that reduces property tax for open-space land.
But today, the board will consider whether to specifically exclude privately owned golf courses from the program.
Farmington Country Club - which already is involved in a lawsuit with the county over its tax bill - has asked the county to designate 273 acres worth $6 million as open space, saving an estimated $40,000 a year in real estate taxes.
Glenmore Associates has applied to put 568 country club acres, worth $10 million, into the county's open-space program. That would save Glenmore an estimated $64,000 on its annual real estate tax bill.
Open space is one of the four land-use tax deferral categories adopted by the county in 1975 to encourage preservation of agricultural land.
To be open space, a parcel must be at least 20 acres and must be used for parks or recreation, land conservation or community development, be located in a flood plain or be of historic value, according to county officials.
The board voted two weeks ago to keep the open-space program after hearing objections from developers and community groups that doing away with it was too broad of a solution.
The board could alter the county's land-use plan to make clear whether golf courses comply with county open-space goals. The land-use plan is silent on how golf courses fit with open space and recreational areas, according to county officials.
``It would involve some language that private golf courses will not be considered part of the open-space plan,'' County Executive Robert W. Tucker Jr. said.
Farmington and Glenmore are the first golf courses in the county to apply for the tax break.
An Associated Press survey last month found 40 golf courses in 18 counties and seven cities throughout the state receive similar tax breaks, sheltering property valued at $42 million from local taxes. by CNB