Goochland, VA – Dr. William “Whitey” Robertson and his wife Mary have lived in Goochland for over fifty years having raised their family there and been active members of the Deep Run Hunt Club where Mary served as Master of Foxhounds. In 2009, the coupled donated their first conservation easement on approximately 51 acres near their home “Oak Knoll” in Manakin. In September 2025, the Robertsons donated their second conservation easement on more than 10.5 acres nearby on Millers Lane (State Route 644). While their first conservation easement is held by Goochland County, the Robertsons sought the Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC) to hold this most recent one.
“Our family has laid down deep roots in Goochland County and its pastoral tranquility has given us much for which to be grateful,” said Whitey and Mary Robertson. “We couldn’t imagine how it would look to our grandchildren 50 years from now if we didn’t take steps to conserve the land today to keep it rural and available for farming.”
The newly protected property known as “the Cottage” is in an area that Goochland County has designated as Rural Enhancement Area in its comprehensive plan and land use map. Therefore, preserving the land’s rural character and maintaining agricultural uses and scenic views from Millers Lane is important to how the community envisions itself in the future. The property is mostly surrounded by land protected by either conservation easements or by deed restrictions and covenants recorded as part of the Sabot Hill Owners Association. In addition, the property contains the historic Manse for the nearby Hebron Presbyterian Church that was established in 1845.
“As we look back at our origins as an organization it includes the Goochland Land Alliance that began in 2002 by Sandy and Rossie Fisher and merged into CRLC in 2009,”said Parker C. Agelasto, CRLC’s Executive Director. “The Robertson’s dedication to land conservation goes back to these early efforts and is exemplary of how community values are enforced by selfless acts of neighbors.”
Approximately 85% of the property contains Prime Farmland or Soils of Statewide Importance. It has the highest agricultural value as determined by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR)’s Virginia Heritage Data Explorer (NHDE), which also notes the entire property is most vulnerable to the threat of development. To preserve the land for agricultural uses and to preserve scenic views from Millers Lane, all existing and future buildings larger than 500 square feet, must be located within a 1-acre area.
The property also features less than half acre of forested wetlands that form the headwaters of an unnamed stream that flows to Dover Lake and drains to the James River at Sabot Island. The conservation easement provides important water quality protection with a 50-foot riparian buffer around the wetlands therefore helping to meet the goals of DCR’s Watershed Impact Model.
District 5 Supervisor, Jonathan Lyle celebrated the conservation easement saying “Goochland County commends the Robertsons as community leaders who took action to save this land for future generations. By others following their example, we are striving to keep Goochland County rural.”
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About Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC): Capital Region Land Conservancy is dedicated to conserving the natural and historic resources of Virginia’s Richmond region for the benefit of people and nature. The nonprofit land trust serves the City of Richmond and 19 surrounding counties. Since 2005, CRLC has helped protect more than 15,000 acres, including easements on more than 5,000 acres.
Contact:
Parker Agelasto, Executive Director
202.302.0153
parker@capitalregionland.org
