Orange County NC Website
this Board does or does not wish to go on record as approving as a matter <br />of policy the preservation of the Eno and its environs, and once that <br />policy is settled by this Board another broader question should be addressed, <br />that of whether this Board does or does not with to adopt a question with <br />regard to public access to the Eno River and its environs. Another area <br />of thought is goals and whether this Board wishes to take a position as to <br />the possession of additional park land within the Compeunds of Orange <br />County by the State or the County. <br />Dr. Lang, a member of the Task Force stated that the primary issue is <br />the issue of condemnation as a means of acquiring land. This is the key <br />and had caused the conflict in the County. Dr. Lang stated .that <br />in answer to question that were raised earlier, he would like to make the <br />following statement. <br />One question raised was implementation or protection of the land. Dr. <br />Lang referred to Mr. Whi~ted's proposal which stated that a Planning Board <br />would be named to initiate temporary zoning provisions that would limit <br />certain kinds of destructive development within the Eno River basin for a <br />limited period of time which would allow time for a development of a plan. <br />Dr. Lang inquired how will you develop a large enough board; haw will <br />you get the money to finance this sort of planning. <br />Dr. Lang suggested that the money saved by limitation of growth will <br />eventually return many fold the investment of money in planning. He stated <br />that another means of acquiring money would be through the RC & D funds and <br />that the Planning Department might apply for these funds to develop a <br />stronger Planning Department within Orange County to address the problem of <br />preserving the Eno. <br />Chairman Garrett stated that she would like to see this started right <br />away and that RC & D funds take time to secure. <br />Dr. Lang said that in reply to Mr. Olive's comment concerning the need <br />for additional parklands in North Carolina, that Mr. Olive's figures were <br />based on late 1960 and early 1970 figures. Dr. Lang filed with the Board <br />a graph which he had prepared relative to parkland and population. <br />Chairman Garrett asked Commissioner Whitted if he would present to those <br />present his Proposal for Policy Statement on the Eno River. Commissioner <br />Whitted stated that the proposal was taken from both reports of the Eno <br />River Task Force and addressed the essential issues which had caused con- <br />. troversy. He stated further that he basically started out with the set <br />out guidelines for the Task Force and has addressed those issues and has <br />provided a policy statement for the Board to consider and possible adopt. <br />Commissioner Whitted referred to Section I of the Palicv Statement and <br />discussion ensued as the definition of environs of the Eno River. <br />The Board agreed that the Environs of the Eno would be define in the <br />master plan. <br />After a lengthy discussion, Dr. Lang suggested that the first portion <br />of Section T of the Policy Statement be changed to read "The Eno River <br />and the environs, necessary for conservation of the botanical, fish life, <br />wild life, and most important water supply characteristics is of sufficient <br />interest and importance to the enhancement of the .quality of life for the <br />citiaens of Orange County and this region to be preserved in perpetuity." <br />Mr. Whitted and the Board agreed to this change. <br />Mr. Whitted continued with Section II of the Policy Statement. <br />By what means (concrete, practical and effective) can the Eno River and <br />its environs in Orange County be preserved in perpetuity? <br />In Subsection A of Section II, Stewart Barber, a member of the Task <br />Force, requested that the word• perpetuity be omitted since further on in <br />the proposal the usage of words "given number of years" was used. <br />Commissioner Walker suggested that the change should read "whose use shall <br />be restricted for preservation of the river." <br />