HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2002-038 Resolution Supporting the Triangle Greenprint ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE TRIANGLE GREENPRINT
WHEREAS, the preservation of open space provides many benefits to Orange County residents
including parks, historic and scenic landscapes, habitat for wildlife and native plants, farmland
and rural character, water and air quality protection; and
WHEREAS, Orange County implemented a Lands Legacy program in April 2000 to protect
important natural areas, parklands, watershed buffers, farmland and cultural and historic sites in
the County, working with other public and private partners; and
WHEREAS, the Lands Legacy program has protected or preserved over 800 acres of land in its
two years of operation—including joint initiatives with other entities; and
WHEREAS, in November 2001, voters in the County approved an additional $7 million for the
Lands Legacy program as part of the parks and open space bonds; and
WHEREAS, Orange County is currently updating its 1988 Inventory, of Natural Areas and
Wildlife Habitat to examine the status of the existing 64 sites identified in 1988, and explore the
existence of other previously-unidentified sites; and
WHEREAS the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law making it the States goal to
permanently protect an additional one million acres of open space(G.S. 113A-241); and
WHEREAS,the Triangle J Council of Governments, Triangle Land Conservancy, and NC
Division of Parks and Recreation have formed the Triangle GreenPrint Project and have released
a Regional Open Space Assessment; and
WHEREAS, the Regional Open Space Assessment documents important open space areas in the
six-county Triangle region that were identified by 140 professional and citizen open space
experts; and
WHEREAS, the Regional Open Space Assessment identifies many open space areas that may
offer opportunities for Orange County to collaborate with other government jurisdictions to
protect them; and
WHEREAS,the likelihood of protection of these open space areas will be enhanced through
awareness of their significance and adoption of formal plans for their protection;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the Orange County Board of Commissioners thanks and recognizes the efforts of the 140
technical experts who provided their expertise to develop the Regional Open Space Assessment
as an overview of Triangle open spaces that are worthy of some level of protection;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board asks County staff to compare the report to the
County's existing Lands Legacy Long-Term Priorities 2001-2010, and Annual Action Plan, for
consistency, and that the County share with the GreenPrint any information about significant open
space that may have been overlooked in the Regional Open Space Assessment, so that it may be
incorporated in future documents.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Orange County stands willing to meet with neighboring counties
to discuss inter-local efforts to protect open space, as was accomplished with the Little River
Regional Park and Natural Area project, and that the County will provide updates to the Triangle
GreenPrint Project regarding new lands acquired through the Lands Legacy program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board encourages the GreenPrint sponsors to include a
broad set of stakeholders in future discussions and any prioritization of critical open space areas-, and
that future GreenPrint reports recognize the importance of conservation opportunities not only within
the region but those that extend beyond the boundaries of the Triangle.
This, the 4th day of June, 2002
Barry Jaco , C
Orange C my of C missioners
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Beverly Blyt e, Clerk to thelBoard