The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved additional protections for the historic River Farm property owned by the American Horticultural Society (AHS).
Citing financial difficulties, members of the AHS board voted last year to put the property, more than 25 acres overlooking the Potomac River, on the market. It is for sale for $32.9 million.
Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted 9 - 1 to approve giving the Fairfax County Architectural Review Board more power to hear and decide applications, review proposed subdivisions and “amend the additional standards for the Wellington Historic Overlay District (WHOD) to require ARB review and approval of any proposed subdivision and to allow the Board to impose or accept conditions and restrictions it deems necessary….” River Farm was put into a new historic overlay district, the WHOD, earlier this year.
The one vote against the additional protections for River Farm came from Supervisor Pat Herrity, who represents the Springfield District of Fairfax County.
The additional protections will not prevent AHS from selling River Farm, nor is it a guarantee that the land will remain undeveloped. However, it does put hurdles up against the type of dense development at River Farm that has made neighbors nervous.
Offers for River Farm Come In
Rumors surfaced last week that a developer was interested in buying the AHS property as well as two other large properties in the area to build a hotel and conference center.
On Wednesday, The Washington Post confirmed those rumors and provided more information, reporting: "A. Wayne Johnson, a former Education Department official who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in last year’s special election in Georgia, proposed purchasing the land for $20 million from its current owners, the American Horticultural Society (AHS), and preserving its 27 acres as green space with public access. Johnson also offered to invest an additional $10 million or more to restore River Farm’s gardens and renovate its manor. But he said the evenly divided AHS board has so far decided not to pursue his idea."
AHS officials said the board is not entertaining any offers other than one put forth by NOVA Parks, operating in partnership with the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust.
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The following is the public statement signed by the five AHS Board members who are in opposition of the sale of River Farm. It was released Sept. 13 ahead of the Sept. 14 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting:
Dear Supervisor Storck and members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors,
In light of recent public statements and press coverage relating to the upcoming consideration of the proposed amendments to Chapter 112.1 (the Zoning Ordinance), on your agenda for consideration on September 14, 2021, we, the undersigned members of the Board of Directors of the American Horticultural Society (AHS) are writing to confirm our opposition to selling River Farm to a developer and to express our support for your proposed legislative action that would create additional layers of protection for this priceless property.
We support the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance that will provide for greater public consultation, review and approval of any future subdivision or construction on the River Farm property. We believe that such public participation will help AHS, a publicly supported non-profit organization, better fulfill its charitable mission and meet the public expectations for our stewardship of this important historic and environmentally significant property.
At a recent Board meeting this summer, the 5 of us voted against the acceptance of a letter of intent to sell River Farm to a private developer. As we have stated before, we (the dissenting AHS Board members of AHS), oppose the sale of River Farm. Period. We believe that Enid Haupt’s restrictive gift is very clear -- that her intent was that River Farm should be owned and operated by AHS as its national headquarters while making the property available for the public to enjoy. This is exactly what we have done successfully for almost 50 years. We have never had a financial need to sell River Farm, let alone engage in a forced sale. Our goal is to continue to manage the property and our horticultural programs in support of our national mission. Of course, we are open to the idea of developing innovative public and/or private partnerships that will both protect the property in perpetuity and help us further our mission as the stewards of the property.
At this important time for River Farm, AHS needs the constructive support of all of its friends and neighbors to abandon the effort to sell the property which we have publicly opposed. In the meantime, we hope that you will approve the additional layers of protection afforded by the proposed amendments to the Historic Overlay Districts.
With many thanks for your consideration, sincerely,
s/Skipp Calvert
s/Tim Conlon
s/Laura Dowling
s/Holly Shimizu
s/Marcia Zech
