Louisa, Orange or Spotsylvania County?
In
order to build on or around the lake in any of the three counties, the
basic requirement is that the property must be at least an acre.
Specifically, one acre in Spotsylvania County, .92 acre in Louisa
County and one acre in Orange County. This minimum acreage is set by
county regulations in order to have enough land to support a secondary
drain field in the event that the primary would fail. Failure of
primary drain fields is a remote possibility, but if it does happen,
you'll need adequate land.
Another
consideration for many are the tax rates. Real Estate taxes are $0.89
per $100 of assessed value in Spotsylvania and $0.67 per $100 of
assessed value in Louisa County. Personal property tax rates are $5.00
per $100 of assessed value in Spotsylvania and $1.90 per $100 of
assessed value in Louisa.
Spotsylvania County
property is subject to the restrictions and guidelines of the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, passed by the Virginia General
Assembly in 1988. This means that development in the Spotsylvania
County area can be a bit more complicated and costly than the other two
counties. A good builder can help you with this process.
Shoreline
development must be approved by Dominion Power Company formerly known
as Virginia Power Company and referred to as VEPCO. The power company
owns all of the shoreline surrounding the lake up to an elevation of
255 feet above sea level. Lakefront owners have a "reservation of
easement" for the exclusive agricultural and recreational use of the
lake. The power company promotes and encourages the recreational use of
the lake and issues construction and use agreements for improvements on
company owned land. Improvements include boat houses but not dwellings.
Choosing the Lot
Do
you want a waterfront or water access lot? Wooded or open? Public side
or private side? Choosing between a waterfront and a water access lot
is a financial consideration as well as a lifestyle question.
Waterfront properties obviously head the list in terms of cost. With a
waterfront property, you'll have a private waterfront where you can
build a dock or boathouse and in some cases have a "beach" and swim
area. Prices are determined by waterfront footage and views. The bigger
the view the higher the price. Next in line price-wise are water view
lots. If being able to see the lake from your deck or great room is a
"must", a water view lot can fill that need. Because of Lake Anna's
topography, there aren't many of these around, but some are available.
Finally, if being "on" the water or being able to see the lake isn't
critical; consider a water access lot. With water access lots (within a
subdivision), the subdivision "common area" is used to launch or dock
your boat. Amenities in "common areas" vary greatly, from a simple
boat- launching ramp to having your own deeded boat slip.
Property
values on Lake Anna have increased significantly in the past 3-5 years.
Waterfront lots generally range from a low of about $150,000 to over
$500,000. Remember the bigger the view, the higher the price. The
average waterfront lot is in the low 300's. Water Access lots now begin
at around $70,000 and those with a water-view will cost in the range of
$150,000 to $200,000
Both wooded and open lots can be found. This is a strictly a personal preference.
Public Side vs. Private Side
Another
major consideration is whether to locate on the public or private side
of Lake Anna. The public side is what most people know as "Lake Anna."
Access is not restricted. Conversely, access to the water on the
"private" side is restricted to landowners. Because it serves as the
cooling lagoons, for water circulated through the power plant, the
Private side is also known as the "warm" side. Year- round water
temperatures on the Private side are several degrees warmer than the
public side. The two sides of Lake Anna are separated by three dikes
and boats cannot navigate from one side to the other.
There
is little difference in the cost of properties between the public and
private side of the lake. Market values are based on the individual
characteristics of the lots. However, there are major differences to
consider when looking at each. The main lake is almost 18 miles long
and there are about 10,000 surface acres of water. The state park is on
the public side as well as 6 marinas and a boat accessible restaurant.
The
private side has over 3,000 surface acres and no commercial facilities.
There are no marinas or public boat launching facilities which means
you must take your boat to a convenience store for fuel or haul it by
can to your boat. Those who live on the private side boast less boating
traffic and noise. The skiers love the private side because there is
less wake from other boats and the fishermen like the extended fishing
season that the warmer water provides. But remember, if you have
friends boating on the public side, you won't be able to visit them by
water! Those who live on the public side say they favor the larger area
and public facilities. If you like to sail, the main lake (public side)
south of the 208 bridge is considered best as the low bridges on the
north end will confine your activity. Again, it all boils down to
personal preference.
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