Saturday, November 28, 2020

River Farm Update #4 - Grassroots Group Forms, Gov Northam Weighs In & AG's Investigating

Here is the latest status update on River Farm. We have continued to have meetings among our stakeholder group working out a strategy to maximize the potential that River Farm will remain in public ownership. Here is what's going on. 

Grassroots Group Organized 
The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT) has generously agreed to organize and lead a grassroots effort called Save River Farm to build support and raise private funds to support the purchase of River Farm by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA). 

The new website is here - Save River Farm Website 

If you care about saving River Farm, it is important that you do two things right now: 

 #1 - Sign up for email updates from the new group: 


 #2 - Donate funds to help build private support. 80% of funds will be used for land acquisition, 10% for public advocacy, and 10% for administration. Donations are 100% tax deductible. 

 
The NVRPA has also begun the process of seeking up to $2 million in grants from various public sources such as Virginia's Land Conservation Fund, but private support will also be helpful and support from other land trusts will be necessary to complete the transaction. 

Governor Northam Chimes In 
Last week, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam wrote to the American Horticultural Society (AHS) Board of Directors and asked them to work with our group to place River Farm into public ownership.  
Fairfax County to Restrict Development Options 
Supervisor Dan Storck and Chairman Jeff McKay also secured the unanimous approval of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to have staff develop options to place an historic zoning overlay district on River Farm to restrict demolition and development. It will take staff a few months to develop options to be advertised and voted upon but they are in process. 


Attorney General Investigation 
The American Horticultural Society was located in Washington, D.C. before moving to River Farm in 1973 and is still incorporated there. The District of Columbia Attorney General has opened an investigation into the possible sale of River Farm and whether it violates the donation restrictions of Enid Haupt. I am working with Senator Adam Ebbin and Delegate Paul Krizek to ask Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring to do the same. 

At this point, nearly 2,900 people have signed our petition. Please continue ask friends and neighbors to sign as a show of grassroots power!  


Thank you for your interest and all of your support.

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