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Date published: 9/11/2005

By RUSTY DENNEN

Fredericksburg is sitting on a real-estate treasure that may be unique in America: nearly 5,000 acres of undeveloped riverfront land.

Few rivers in Virginia look anything like the Rappahannock upstream of the city, with its vast expanse of emerald green.

In contrast, much of the Potomac, James and York river shores are dotted with houses, manicured lawns and docks.

Whether the Rappahannock will follow suit may be decided within the next few months as City Council considers protecting the land with a permanent conservation easement.

Two weeks ago in a meeting with city officials, Gerald Massengill, interim director of the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, put the conservation value of Fredericksburg's land in perspective.

"You really don't have to have a lot of vision to understand that if this is done right, it would be a national treasure," he said.

Fredericksburg acquired the property from Virginia Electric and Power Co. (now Dominion Virginia Power) for $450,000 in 1969. Vepco had bought parcels running almost 25 miles upriver--as far as Fauquier and Culpeper counties--for a dam project that never materialized.

Though it's a relatively narrow strip, the land is a runoff buffer, helping to keep fertilizer and other toxic chemicals out of the river.

More significantly for wildlife, it offers unobstructed passage to miles of feeding and nesting areas, and places to hide and rest.

The city adopted a formal management plan more than a decade ago. David King, the assistant director of public works, is in charge of overseeing and enforcing restrictions on the property.

Recreational use of the river has grown exponentially and landowners adjoining city land are encroaching, prompting the need for more protections.

Also, groups such as the Friends of the Rappahannock worry that river parcels could be sold off in the future when the city needs the cash.

A conservation easement first appeared on City Council's radar screen about a year and a half ago. The proposal sailed along until late last year when neighboring localities began reading the fine print--that an easement is permanent and if not drafted to their liking could restrict access for municipal projects such as roads and water supplies.

Date published: 9/11/2005