Agenda - 05-28-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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New Rope Corridor Open space Masser Plan utility. Such utility would be enhanced further by using existing wildlife corridors in Orange County extending north from Duke Forest. Some of these corridors should be kept in private ownership. 4. Natural Area City Park The possible park area at the Erwin and Cornwallis Roads intersection is owned by Duke University. In order to establish a natural area City park at that location, the City of Durham and Duke University should negotiate an agreement governing the location's use as a public park at some time in the future. 5. Sandy Creek Active Recreation Area Ownership of the old waste treatment plant site on Sandy Creek should be retained by the City of Durham. The site should be developed as an active public recreation area. 6. Floodplains and Steep Slopes in Undeveloped Residentially Zoned Areas The absence of use by the public does not mean that there is no public benefit to acquiring, maintaining, and protecting floodplains and steep slopes. Because of the usefulness of such natural resources for environmental protection, wildlife habitat, urban separation, and natural beauty, it is to the public benefit to acquire and protect them, although such areas should not be broadly open to the public. Therefore, private owners should be compensated by the public. 7. Floodplains and Steep Slopes in Commercially Zoned Areas It must be recognized that the only equitable method of protecting environmentally sensitive lands in commercially zoned areas is probably through direct purchase by a public agency or by site design which preserves steep slopes and floodplains. Forms of Compensation for Private Owners Compensation to private owners may take the form of direct purchase or purchase of an interest less than full ownership by a public agency. It is also the case that some owners may wish to donate either all or part of their interest in pieces of land to a local jurisdiction. 12