Agenda - 03-02-2006-9c - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 2, 2006 Action Age a Item No. -G, SUBJECT: Approval of the Proposed Acquisition of Real Property (Penny Tract) from the Triangle Land Conservancy DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Conservation ATTACHMENTS 1) TLC Letter of Intent 2) Vicinity Map 3) Site Map INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Rich Shaw, 245-2591 PURPOSE: To consider approval of an agreement to acquire a 22,37-acre portion of the Penny property located in Orange County from the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) for an addition to the planned New Hope Preserve, BACKGROUND: In 1992, Orange County, Chapel Hill, Durham County and City of Durham adapted the New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan, which called for the preservation of lands along New Hope Creek, as it traverses from central Orange County to .lordan Lake. One of the priorities identified in the current Lands Legacy Action Plan is to work with the Triangle Land Conservancy on the acquisition of lands along aone-mile section of New Hope Creek from Erwin Road to the Durham County line, A planned New Hope Preserve would protect this area as a wildlife preserve and for a network of public walking trails that would link Duke Forest trails to planned trails in Durham County. Recent activities to protect New Hope Creek in Orange County date back to 2002 when the Triangle Land Conservancy purchased three acres south of Erwin Road. In 2003, Jeff and Angela Fisher conveyed a conservation easement on the site of the old Hollow Rack Store to Orange County (in collaboration with TLC), In February 2006, Orange County completed the purchase of seven acres located at the intersection of Erwin and Pickett roads from Duke University for a proposed future "Hollow Rack Trailhead," The next priority for land protection along New Hope Creek is a 22.37-acre tract of land owned by Wade and Carolyn Penny, The land is located in Orange County west of Pickett Road, and includes about 1,000 feet of frontage along the Creek. The Penny's have agreed to sell this property to the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) for a public trail corridor and protected open space.. TLC was awarded state grant funds from the NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) to acquire the riparian portion of the property, The upland portion of the property (located outside the 300-foot stream buffer) would require additional