University of Virginia Library

Louisa Supervisors Contest
Green Springs Designation

By RICK KNIESLER

Fifteen Green Springs
landowners are challenging the
designation of 14,000 acres in
the area as a Historical District.
The Louisa County Board of
Supervisors is also sponsoring
the appeal asking for a review
of the decision by the Virginia
Landmarks Commission.

The petitioners are asking
the court to reverse, modify or
declare void the historic
district designation by the
commission. The designation
was approved by the
commission on Feb. 20.

The action forming the
historical district has been
hailed by opponents of a state
penal diagnostic center which
has been proposed for the
Green Springs area. This
decision was considered a
significant step in their fight
against the center.

The opponents' petition
asks that the commission be
required to file a record of its
Feb. 20 proceedings with the
county, and that a stay of the
commission's action be
granted.

The petitioners claim the
commission's action was taken
"without notice or approval of
the governing body of Louisa
County, or the interested
property owners," and without
a hearing.

They say that such actions
are in violation of the General
Administrative Agencies Act,
the Virginia Code and other
state laws and the U.S.
Constitution.

The designation "places a
cloud against the property,"
affecting the marketability of
the properties, placing a
burden against the land, and
taking property rights without
compensation or due process,
the petition states.

Owners of 6,511 Green
Springs acres have signed
another petition.

The petitioners further
protest that "large areas of
unimproved woodland, having
no particular significance
historically, other than of a
general nature... have been
included in the designated
historical area."

The petitioners contend
that acts delegating powers to
the Virginia Historical
Landmarks Commission do not
provide for, or contemplate,
that area as large as 14,000
acres be designated as historic
districts.

They also argue that the
commission is not empowered
to make application nor to
recommend that the Green
Springs area be registered with
the National Registry of
Historic Places.

Opponents of the penal
facility feel this new protest
will exert extralegal force
against the proposed land uses.

Mrs. Hiram B. Ely, one of
those in favor of the historical
designation said, "We find it
incredible that the supervisors
would involve themselves in
such a substantial waste of the
taxpayers' money."