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What is the Land Use Assessment program?
How do I know know if a parcel is in the Land Use program or the Agricultural District program?
What are the filing deadlines for new applications?
How is the fee calculated?
Do you accept credit card payments?
What documents are required to apply for Land Use program?
What is required on the original application?
What is the Statement Of Prior Use and Production?
Are there any exceptions to the 5-year production history?
What is required for the Forestry category?
What is required for the Open Space category?
What are the minimum acreage requirements to qualify for Land Use Assessment?
What is ineligible land?
Why is a Soil and Water Conservation Plan required?
Why is the Declaration of Understanding required?
What is the Land Use Assessment program?
The county maintains a Land Use Assessment program that provides for the assessment of qualifying land based on its agricultural, horticultural, forestry, or open-space use rather than market value. Use values are set annually by the State Land Evaluation Advisory Council. More information is available online here or by calling the Assessor's Office at 703-777-0267.
How do I know know if a parcel is in the Land Use program or the Agricultural District program?
A land use value is is posted on the assessment page of Loudoun County's online Real Estate Tax, Assessment and Parcel Database. There is also a field showing if a property is in an Agricultural (Ag) District. Here's how it works.
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The database is here. Enter your parcel ID or address, then look at the property assessment. Under the section titled "Miscellaneous," the Agricultural and Forestal District (AFD) is noted or is marked as "N/A." If an AFD is noted, the landowner should go to the Loudoun County Office of Rural Economic Development for more information, including a description of the subdivision minimum required for each AFD.
Inquiries about Ag District Program can also be directed to the Department of Economic Development at 703-777-0426 or by e-mail to good4biz@loudoun.gov. Inquiries related to the Land Use Assessment Program should be submitted to the Assessor's staff.
What are the filing deadlines for new applications?
- By November 1 with appropriate fee
- Between November 2 and December 5, with fee, plus $30 late fee
- Between December 6 and March 1, with fee, plus $30 late fee, plus additional $30 extension fee
- Note: When the filing deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date is the next business day.
How is the fee calculated?
- The fee is calculated at 60 cents per acre or part thereof
- Minimum fee is $60 for parcels up to 100 acres
- Parcels over 100 acres require additional fee
- Example: A 105-acre parcel would be calculated at 105 X .60 = $63
- Example: A 105.6-acre parcel would be calculated at 106 X .60 = $63.60
Do you accept credit card payments?
Yes. We accept payments by these credit cards: Mastercard, Visa and Discover Card.
What documents are required to apply for the Land Use program?
- Original application
- Statement of Qualifying Use and Production and/or Forest Management Plan or applicable documentation for Open Space use.
- Declaration Of Ineligible Land
- Loudoun Soil And Water Conservation District Agreement
- Declaration Of Understanding of the Land Use Assessment program requirements
What is required on the original application?
- Owner(s) Name(s), appearing on Land Book
- Mailing address
- Telephone number
- Qualifying use selected
- Signatures of all parties having an interest in the property
What is the Statement Of Prior Use and Production?
For agricultural or horticultural uses, the property must have a 5-year history of producing a qualifying product. Typically this would be a plant or animal products useful to humans.
Are there any exceptions to the 5-year production history?
Yes. The 5-year history is waived for products that take 2 years or more to mature, such as grapes from a vineyard or Christmas trees. Also, the 5-year history is waived if there is an expansion of an existing use.
What is required for the Forestry category?
- A Forestry Management Plan prepared by a professional forester,
or
- A signed commitment by the property owner documenting land use objectives
What is required for the Open Space category?
- The property must be listed on the National Historic Register or Virginia Landmarks Register, plus be subject to a permanent easement or 7-to-10-year open space commitment with the county; or
- The property must have 300 foot of frontage on a Virginia scenic highway or river and be subject to a 7-to-10-year open space commitment with the county.
- Be in a rural area of the county as defined by the county’s General Plan, or
- Be protected by a permanent easement or located in an agricultural or forest district.
What are the minimum acreage requirements to qualify for Land Use Assessment?
- Agriculture: 5 acres
- Horticulture: 5 acres
- Forestry: 20 acres
- Open Space: 5 acres for historic resource protection, scenic resource protection and achievement of comprehensive planning goals.
- Protection of farmland: 20 Acres
- Minimum acreage requirements exclude ineligible land
What is ineligible land?
Ineligible land typically includes the homesite and other land that is not used for a qualifying use.
Why is a Soil and Water Conservation Plan required?
To qualify for land use assessment, the owner must use the best management practices to protect soil and water quality. These plans are prepared by the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District.
Why is the Declaration of Understanding required?
To ensure that property owners certify they understand what is required to meet the standards of the Land Use Assessment program. This declaration also indicates our office has answered the property owners’ questions.
For More Information
If you would like more information on the Land Use Assessment program, please contact the Office of the Assessor:
Phone: 703-777-0267
1 Harrison Street, S.E., 5th floor, Mailstop #07
P.O. Box 7000
Leesburg, Virginia 20177-7000
e-mail: assessor@loudoun.gov |