HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2005-095 Resolution - Land for Tomorrow~1 ~S .~ ao~~ a 4 ~
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE N.C. LAND FOR TOMORROW INITIATIVE
FOR OPEN SPACE AND LAND CONSERVATION
WHEREAS, Orange County, through its award-winning Lands Legacy Program,
is committed to protecting lands critical to the future of North Carolina's drinking
water, economy, and quality of life, and
WHEREAS, the. Lands Legacy Program has protected over 1,600 acres of
natural and cultural resource lands in Orange County to date, and
WHEREAS, North Carolina is losing more than 100,000 acres of those special
places to population pressures each year and the state's population is expected
to grow by 50 percent in the next 25 years, and ;
WHEREAS, funding sources for land protection efforts in North Carolina have
lacked sufficient funding to protect stream banks and floodplains, legacy forests,
prime farmlands, local parks and recreation, state parks, game lands, natural,
scenic and historic places, and
WHEREAS, there is no second chance to protect North Carolina's great natural
resources with costs to do so increasing in the future, and
WHEREAS, additional state funding will leverage twice as much funding from
federal, private and local sources and enable local land trusts and programs like
Lands Legacy to do much more in terms of land conservation;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of
Commissioners urges the 2006 General Assembly to enact legislation
authorizing the "Land for Tomorrow" bond referendum to increase conservation
spending in North Carolina by $200 million per year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board asks that Orange County be listed
as a partner in the Land for Tomorrow initiative, and that staff explore the
mechanisms by which the Lands Legacy Program and Land for Tomorrow can
mutually benefit from their common goals.
This the 5th day of December, 2005.
Orange Co~nty Bda~of Col~nmissioners