The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is offering its first-ever major public party and fundraiser in Clarke County. “The HOOT” will be held on September 22 at Woodley Farm near Berryville, Virginia. Proceeds of the event will be used toward the construction of a new facility and to expand the Boyce, Virginia organization’s outreach.

“The biggest challenges facing BRWC at the moment is the critical need for a new facility and increased funding,” said executive director Jennifer Lee. “We are an extremely successful organization as far as demand for our services but our present facility and funding can just barely meet that demand.  We are presently operating out of an 800 square foot, 18th century cottage and just this year have already rescued 1,600 animals from a wide array of different species – raptors and songbirds, rabbits, turtles, opossums, raccoons, foxes, squirrels – the list goes on.”

A rehabilitated barred owl that has served as an ambassador for the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center was recently released after regaining the competence to live in the wild – Photo Jennifer Lee

Lee said that with only one full-time veterinarian, Dr. Belinda Burwell, and just two full-time wildlife rehabilitators, BRWC needs more staff given its daunting workload.

BRWC has also seen an ever-increasing demand for educational programs.

“We presently reach about 5,000 people a year through our programs but the demand is much greater and we would love to be able to fulfill more requests from schools, organizations, camps, and events,” Lee said. “Education and awareness will go a very long way in protecting the future of wildlife.”

Lee said that BRWC currently is based in a small building at the Burwell-van Lennep Foundation’s property outside of Millwood but has recently been granted a generous lease to build a new facility on the property.

“The HOOT hopes to achieve three purposes for our wildlife,” Lee explained. “Spreading awareness about who we are, what we do in the 100-mile radius we serve in eastern WV, southern MD, and DC; giving people an opportunity to donate to the cause by their presence at the HOOT event and through their purchase of unique live auction items; and inspiring people to be more observant and aware of wildlife in their everyday routine and knowing there is a place to go to receive help and advice about wildlife issues.”

“It will also be a great party for people to HOOT it up in support and celebration of this beautiful place we share with our wildlife brethren!” Lee said.

According to Lee, the HOOT auction will include two beautiful oil paintings, a balloon ride for two, a necklace and earring set from a local artisan, a canoe trip for 10 and additional items.

Lee, who took over the financial helm of the BRWC earlier this year, is known for her ability to raise funds through well-organized and usually well-attended fundraisers. The Clarke County Historical Association’s annual “Art-at-the-Mill”, formerly chaired by Lee, has grown to become one of the mid-Atlantic region’s most successful art shows.

Lee hopes to replicate her CCHA financial success for BRWC.

“I think the biggest thing I’ve achieved for BRWC so far is just giving a more consistent, public presence for the Center through outreach – printed materials, on-line vehicles, organization of events – and by supporting the BRWC staff by taking some of the load off them. Planning events such as the HOOT increases awareness, raise funds, and brings the community together to lend a more powerful voice to a cause that many people really care about,” Lee said. “The community’s support is critical in this mission and we already hear them loud and clear and want to be able to respond in the most effective way we can and grow that community.

While BRWC cares for all kinds of injured birds and animals, the HOOT’s official face is that of an injured barred owl that was nursed back to health at BRWC.

“Owls are nocturnal and extremely stealthy and secretive, so people aren’t going to see them nearly as often as hawks and other birds. But they are also more susceptible to threats such as habitat disturbance, development, environmental toxins – like pesticides and herbicides – and certain viruses,” Lee said. “Owl populations are not as prolific and they are extremely territorial. They depend on a protected habitat with a steady food supply (mostly small rodents), and they cannot reproduce as effectively as birds with greater populations and more shared territory.  Measures as simple as not littering can help prevent the human-wildlife “conflicts” we see that result in owls becoming our patients.  Just throwing an apple core out your car window will bring a mouse to or near the road to eat the apple and that mouse brings the owl and then that owl meets your pickup.  A lot of things we do, even unknowingly, can have a profound and often deadly impact on one animal – one animal who is a link in the chain of the entire ecosystem.”

To purchase HOOT tickets visit www.BlueRidgeFallRaces.com. Tickets are $35/person if purchased by September 15, $40 thereafter.

“Kids are welcome and $10 each – pay for them at the gate,” Lee said. “I’m encouraging people to get tickets ahead of time so I can get an idea of how much food & drink to order but people are always welcome to at the last moment and purchase tickets at the gate.”

“Join us!”

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The Clarke County Planning Commission began the long and arduous task of revising the County’s Comprehensive Plan earlier this week. As Brandon Stidham, Clarke County’s new Planning Director, prepares to hire a planning consultant to provide the County with a fresh look at the County’s land use ordinances and approach, Planning Commissioners began staking out their positions on what they would like the revised plan to look like.

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On Tuesday the Planning Commission used its regular briefing session to kick-off the Comprehensive Plan review process. Stidham provided the Commissioners with a draft timeline for completing the revised land planning document sometime in June, 2013.

“Staff has developed a draft schedule for updating the Comprehensive Plan based on the draft scope of work that the Commission accepted by consensus in July,” Stidham said. “The draft schedule is aggressive with the goal of completing a large portion of the substantive work prior to the holiday season in December and producing a first draft for public review by Spring, 2013. Staff proposes making use of the Planning Commission briefing meetings as workshops and also proposes one special workshop on Wednesday, October 10.”

In August the Clarke County Board of Supervisors passed a motion authorizing an economic development consultant to assist with the Comprehensive Plan update. The move came after a discussion of the Planning Commission’s Double Tollgate report.

The Comprehensive Plan review will look at a variety of issues including the County’s sliding scale zoning ordinance, land use easement policies as well as development both inside and outside of the Berryville area. Stidham and the Planning Commissioners hope to select the consultant in the next several weeks so that the review process can commence by the beginning of November.

At Tuesday’s meeting the Planning Commissioners began framing their expectations for the new Comprehensive Plan.

“Residential development has centered around single-family homes,” said Commissioner Robina Bouffault (White Post). “As Clarke’s population continues to age the lack of affordable housing for younger couples is being felt.”

Bouffault said that it was time to look at developing areas where condominiums and townhomes can be built in Clarke County. Bouffault suggested that the County consider a transferrable development rights (TDR) program.

In general terms, a “transferable development right” program allows property owners in areas targeted as agricultural or low-density to effectively “sell” their development right to property owners in targeted growth areas. A TDR program, in theory, focuses density in targeted areas and can reduce ‘per-user” infrastructure costs making such areas more economically attractive for development.

“A TDR program can be done either by re-defining existing undeveloped residential areas in the Berryville Area, or by adding some areas which could receive TDR’s from outlying County areas, reducing the number of development unit rights (DURs) outstanding in the County.”

In his briefing to the Planning Commission Stidham said “The County does not expect dramatic changes to the land use strategies with this update project but is interested in exploring innovative, ‘outside of the box’ approaches to economic development at or near the County’s public infrastructure – the Towns and intersections of major primary routes (including Waterloo and Double Tollgate). Any strategies that are proposed, however, must be consistent with and complement the County’s existing land use policies and strategies.”

But Planning Commissioner Chip Steinmetz (Berryville) expressed frustration with Stidham’s proposed mandate for the planning consultant’s work.

“Sounds to me like we’re saying ‘Please don’t change anything’,” Steinmetz said. “There are people driving through here from Frederick County and Loudoun County every day. We’re missing the boat here.”

Clarke’s historic approach to land use planning was also questioned by Commissioners Tom McFillen (Berryville) and Richard Thuss (Buckmarsh).

“I have to wonder if we are approaching a threshold on easements in our County,” asked McFillen. “I know that we have benefited in some ways from conservation easements, but have we been hurt in other ways?”

“Something like 25% of the County’s conservation easements are in place to protect against future subdivisions,” replied Planning Commission Chairman George Ohrstrom (Russell).

“I’ve never seen the any numbers that support the economic value of conservation easements,” added Commissioner Thuss. “Maybe the numbers are out there but I haven’t seen them.”

Other Planning Commissioners expressed their concerns about how the limited planning consultant budget will be used to address the County’s land use goals.

“I want to exclude Double Tollgate from the economic review because we know that it doesn’t work,” said Commissioner Scott Kreider (Buckmarsh). “I don’t want to spend money there when we know that we don’t have much money to begin with.”

“What are the needs of this County?” asked Commissioner Clay Brumback (White Post). “Is this consultant going to take a look at that?”

At least two Planning Commissioners suggested that the work of the proposed planning consultant be evaluated based on measurable results.

“What’s our economic target here? Do we have revenue goals?” asked Planning Commissioner Jon Turkel (Millwood).

“If we are going to spend $60K – $100K on a consultant we need to see performance data that their recommendations to other organizations resulted in a revenue increase,” said Richard Thuss. “I want to be sure that we’re not going out and recommending things that no one acts on.”

But Planning Director Stidham reminded the Planning Commission that the ultimate responsibility for designing an effective land use strategy for Clarke County ultimately rests with the Planning Commissioners.

“It’s ultimately the Planning Commission’s job to write the Comprehensive Plan,” said Stidham. “I’m going to be asking all of you to write the plan.”

Kayaker enjoys sediment retention pond earlier this year – Photo courtesy Maura Rhodes

A sedimentation management pond at the corner of Business Route 7 and Jackson Drive in Berryville, Virginia will soon be converted to a storm water management facility. The change will allow storm water to drain from the area more quickly now that construction runoff from the new high school has been mitigated.

The large water collection area just east of Clarke County High School has served as a collection area for sediment-laden water runoff while construction crews moved large amounts of soil during foundation and  landscaping work around the new school building.

Water from the site was routed into the collection are so that so that suspended soil could slowly settle out of the standing water. The result of the slow drainage was often a large, shallow lake much to the delight of neighborhood children as well as passing waterfowl.

Construction crews work to remove sediment from “Lac du Mosby” – Photo Edward Leonard

Two large swans were often seen on the pond.

But according to Berryville Town Planner Christy Dunkle, the engineering changes now taking place may make future lake appearances at the site a rare occurrence.

“The drainage pipe was originally placed so that water levels remained in the area longer to allow sediment to be trapped,” Dunkle told the Berryville Planning Commission on Tuesday evening. “The pond worked well and did its job. The crews are now working to lower the level of the drainage pipe so that the pond can be converted to its long term role of storm water management.”

It was not immediately apparent whether homeowners attempting to sell properties bordering the area will still benefit by advertising amenities such as “lake access” or “waterfront view”.

Berryville’s intermittent “Lac du Mosby” is being converted from a sedimentation pond to a storm water management pond now that completion of the new high school is complete – Photo Edward Leonard