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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-04-2003-5cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 4, 2003 Action Agen a Item No. - G SUBJECT: Resolution in Support of "Eno Wilderness" Project DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Conservation ATTACHMENT 1) Resolution of Support 2) Eno Wilderness Project Summary 3) Map of Planned Purchase INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 PURPOSE: To consider a resolution of support for the conservation of the "Eno Wilderness", a project conducted by the N.C. Office of State Parks and the Eno River Association to acquire 815 acres of identified Natural Heritage lands along the Eno River in eastern Orange County. BACKGROUND: In November, the State of North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (Office of State Parks) announced an option to acquire 815 acres of land along the Eno River in eastern Orange County. This land, a portion of what is commonly known as the "DuBose Tract", contains hundreds of acres of identified Natural Heritage sites and chestnut oak forests, and is adjacent to the Eno River State Park. The Eno River Association works in partnership with N.C. State Parks to protect and purchase lands for the Eno River State Park. The Association assists the state through the establishment of landowner relations, conducting negotiations for property purchase, by negotiating and funding purchases of land that can be later transferred to the state park, by acting as the park advisory committee for the Eno River State Park, and by assisting the park through trail workdays, or the purchase of necessary supplies or equipment. In this case, the Association is working to raise support for funding to acquire the property among State trust funds and its own members. To date, just over $2 million has been committed toward this purchase from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF), the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Eno River Association. 2 The remaining funding needed for the purchase is approximately $4.89 million (with a total project cost of approximately $6.89 million). Additional grant applications have been submitted to the N.C. Natural Heritage Trust Fund and the Clean Water Management Trust Fund that would cover the differential. The State's option to purchase expires on December 31. 2003. Additional details on the project may be found in the project summary submitted by the Eno River Association (attached). The Association asks that the County endorse this effort, and a resolution of support has been drafted (attached). The acquisition of this portion of the Dubose Tract is consistent with the goals and priorities of the Lands Legacy program, which seeks to conserve the County's highest priority natural and cultural resource lands. This land has long been identified as a critical natural area within the County. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. The acquisition is being funded by the State, via current and proposed funds from the grant sources listed. A total of $2,007,207 has been committed to date, with $4,880,400 remaining. Grant requests have been submitted to address the reminder of funds needed. It is not known what course the State will pursue if funds are not allocated in the amounts requested toward this purchase ($6.89 million in total, or $8,442 per acre). RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the attached resolution of support and authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of Orange County. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE ENO WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN WHEREAS, Orange County has a long-standing commitment to the preservation of natural and cultural resource lands; and WHEREAS, the County formalized this commitment in April 2000 with the creation of the Lands Legacy program; and WHEREAS, a priority of the Lands Legacy program is the partnership with and support of other agencies and non-profit conservation organizations toward the protection of critical resource lands; and 3 WHEREAS, the property know as the "Dubose Tract" has long been recognized as an important site of natural resource significance, signified by its inclusion in the N.C. Natural Heritage program and its proximity to the Eno River and the Eno River State Park; and WHEREAS, the expansion of the Eno River State Park in this area is consistent with the park master plan and the Orange County Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina and the Eno River Association have joined efforts to acquire the "Eno Wilderness", containing critical natural resource lands, and are seeking funds to acquire the site; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners endorses the Eno Wilderness project and the efforts of the N.C. State Parks and the Eno River Association toward that end. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners commends the grant submittals to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and the Natural Heritage Trust Fund, and asks that those agencies look favorably on the acquisition of this land of Statewide natural resource importance. This, the 4`h day of February, 2003 Margaret W. Brown, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners ATTEST: Donna Baker Clerk to the Board 4 Eno River Association 4419 Guess Road Durham, NC 27712 919.620.9099 Lori@enoriver.org www.enoriver.org Eno Wilderness Project Summary Size: 815 acres Project Cost: $6,887,000 Funding committed: NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund $1,207,808 US Land & Water Conservation Fund $ 749,399 Eno River Association 50,000 Total $2,007,207 Total funding needed: $4,879,793 Potential additional funding sources (grant requests submitted): NC Clean Water Mgmt. Trust Fund $2,318,400 NC Natural Heritage Trust Fund $2,562,000 Option expires: December 31, 2003 The Eno Wilderness is one of the largest remaining undeveloped tracts in Orange County. Located adjacent to the Eno River State Park, and just a few miles from Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, it lays in the center of an area under extreme development pressure. This 820-acre portion of the Eno Wilderness is a prime conservation tract. It has: just over two miles of frontage on the Eno River approximately 5.4 miles of existing trail (logging roads) four intermittent streams totaling approximately 2.812 miles highest point near Eno River State Park, 732 feet above MSL, about 285 feet above the river predominantly chestnut oak forest The Eno River Association is working to protect the entire length of the riparian corridor both for water quality and wildlife habitat. A substantial portion of the river has already been protected. The purchase of the Eno Wilderness is a singular opportunity to protect a substantial wildlife habitat node on the river corridor, increasing the size of the Eno River State Park by one- third of its current size. At the same time protecting a NC Natural Heritage area, hardwood forests and water quality in a rapidly developing urban area. It is the hope of the Eno River Association that the Orange County Commissioners will endorse this conservation project as beneficial and desirable for the county. Ah - - Eno Wilderness Site Eno Wilderness Project r ® Eno River State Park x o P 0 1000 2000 Feet Streets + - Parcel Boundary 5 Jamey A. 203 M Jets;