Agenda - 06-22-1998 - 9d - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

5 MEMORANDUM To: Board of Commissioners and Manager From: Alice Gordon ~~LG- Subject: Comprehensive Resource Conservation Program Date: May 25, 1998 In considering our Goals and Objectives, I have proposed that the commissioners form a new Environment and Resource Conservation Department rather than a new section of the Planning Department. One of the tasks of that new department would be to devise and implement a comprehensive resource conservation program The purpose of this memo is to describe chat program and suggest a method for its implementation. COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE CONSERVATION PROGR4M Rationale Orange County's natural resources. and other resources, are disappearing at an alarming rate. For example, in the last decade 10 percent of the county's prime forest land has been lost. The county commissioners could actively work to slow this trend by initiating, financing, and implementing a comprehensive resource conservation plan for Orange County. The plan should include conservation not only of forest land, but also farmland and historic sites and other significant resources. Elements of the Prog•Zam School/Park AcauisitiQn (existing oolicy~ Purchase of park sites which can be used later for schools or for schools in combination with parks. Financed by reserving the equivalent of one cent on the tax rate: Acouisition of Other Significant County Resource, Purchase of parcels significant for their natural resources or for other valuable features. Financed by continuing to reserve the equivalent of one cent on the tax rate, and then leveraging these funds by seeking grants from available state funds such as the Clean Water Trust Funds. Further Description of a Comprehensive Resource Conservation Program As a first step, we could document the loss of natural resources and other resources using GIS rndps, and then project what future buildout would be (assuming present trends) in the ne~ct fifty years. The county has data from the Triangle Land Conservancy documenting the location and extent of the reinalning prime forest land. The second phase of that study will establish conservation priorities for these lands. w'e also have documented the most significant farmland and historic sites. With this information in hand we should move quickly to draw comprehensive resource protection maps. The digitized data bases for these maps will be dynamic and capable of continuous updating reflecting the changes in status.