The idea of the position was first proposed by the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council near the end of the 2000 budget process and was postponed. However, Mary Joy Scala, executive director of VCC, indicated that VCC intends to submit a proposal for the position to the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors. We feel there's a lot of interest in conservation there. People living near parcels protected by a PDR or other easement are also protected from having that neighboring property developed. That in itself can make the property more valuable and push the price back up.
Funding is always an issue with PDR programs.
Scala spoke highly of the Virginia Beach program because of its dedicated revenue stream. Discussion of PDRs in Rockbridge County has not proceeded to the point of funding, but the board of supervisors did commission a study by John D. Hutchinson V on PDRs. The study, released last January, identifies some potential sources from which funding might be drawn for PDRs in Rockbridge County. We haven't done that yet. Scala is encouraging counties to go ahead and develop PDR programs even where funding is uncertain, because state money is now available for matching grants through the Virginia Land Conservation Fund Foundation.