§ 82-7. Ranking criteria.

In order to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, parcels for which applications for purchase have been received shall be ranked according to the criteria and the point values assigned thereto as set forth herein. Points shall be rounded to the first decimal.

A. 

Farm and forest land protection.

(1) 

The parcel contains prime farm land as identified by the Shenandoah County Soil Survey: 1/2 point for each 10 acres containing such soils, for up to a total of five points.

(2) 

The parcel is currently located within an Agriculture and Forest District: four points.

(3) 

The parcel has an approved nutrient management plan and/or employs agricultural best management practices as approved by the Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District or the Natural Resources Conservation Service: one point.

(4) 

The parcel is a working family farm: five points if at least one family member's principal occupation and income (more than half) is farming or foresting the parcel; three points if at least one family member produces farm products derived from the parcel.

B. 

Natural resources protection.

(1) 

The parcel fronts on the Shenandoah River or any perennial stream identified by the most recent USGS quad maps or other reliable sources: one point plus an additional one point for every 1,000 feet of linear stream frontage.

(2) 

The parcel is within a watershed identified as impaired on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Impaired Waters List: two points.

(3) 

The parcel contains perennial springs or wetlands as identified on the most recent USGS quad maps or other reliable sources: two points.

(4) 

The parcel is within a sensitive groundwater recharging area as demonstrated by the presence of sinkholes or karst topography: one point.

(5) 

The parcel is located within the one-hundred-year floodplain: 1/2 point for every 10 acres in the floodplain up to a total of five points.

C. 

Cultural, historical, recreational, and scenic resources.

(1) 

The parcel is located within the Fisher's Hill and Toms Brook Battlefields Preservation Plan: four points for being located in the Core area; two points for being located in the Study area.

(2) 

The parcel shares a boundary with property owned or protected by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Association or other recognized preservation organization: one point plus one additional point for every 1,000 feet of shared boundary.

(3) 

The parcel is listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places: two points.

(4) 

The parcel contains or adjoins a parcel containing an historic structure identified by the Shenandoah County Survey or otherwise documented as being over 100 years old: two points.

(5) 

The parcel adjoins a state-maintained road: one point for each 500 feet of road frontage along a designated Virginia scenic highway or byway; one point for each 1,000 feet of road frontage on a nondesignated public road.

D. 

Open space protection.

(1) 

The parcel adjoins the National Forest, or any national, state, or local park: one point plus one additional point for every 1,000 feet of shared boundary.

(2) 

The parcel adjoins an existing permanent conservation easement: one point plus one additional point for every 500 feet of shared boundary.

(3) 

Acreage: one point for every 50 acres the easement will encompass.

E. 

Threat to development.

(1) 

The parcel contains usable development rights: 1/2 point per usable development right.

(2) 

The parcel is not zoned agriculture or conservation: two points.

F. 

Fund leveraging. Nonlocal government funding has been identified to leverage the purchase of the conservation easement: one point for each 10% of the total purchase price for which those funds can be applied. Donation of all or a portion of the easement by the owner shall be considered fund leveraging and points shall be awarded at the same rate.