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Lands Legacy Interim Action P/an 04/27/00 <br />• Brought six properties for potential acquisition to the Board for formal review <br />and direction. Staff developed an evaluation of each site, based on relevant <br />criteria. <br />Tn addition to these activities, there are other projects that have furthered the . <br />goals of Lands Legacy - in particular the provision of parkland and parks <br />facilities. The following report, "Report on the Parks Bond and Other Parks- <br />Related Projects" addresses these activities. <br />Conclusion <br />Although the Lands Legacy program was not adopted until April, the draft <br />program was used to evaluate and pursue two acquisitions of parkland and <br />watershed riparian buffers. A total of $520,000 in grant money was awarded by <br />the Clean Water Management Trust Fund toward these projects, with another <br />application pending before the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. <br />The proposed action plan for the coming 14 months focuses on addressing the <br />parkland deficit in the County, developing a pair of pilot projects for farmland <br />preservation and a rustic woodland trail link, and preserving land in what could <br />become a Natural Area Preserve in the Seven-Mile Creek area. The total cost of <br />the proposed Priority List of projects for the upcoming fiscal year ranges from a <br />low of $2.11 million to a high of $5.05 million --depending on the acreage <br />acquired, the cost of the land, location of the land, and the timing of <br />acquisitions. This cost estimate is a rough estimate, and will be refined as more- <br />detail is developed on potential sites. The cost estimate does not reflect grant <br />funds that might be achieved to pursue the projects, nor does it include <br />contributions from prospective partner entities. <br />Staff will continue to aggressively pursue grants to fund these projects, and <br />solicit the involvement of partner agencies, wherever possible and practical. Co- <br />location of school and park facilities will be evaluated in each case. While <br />pursuing the current action plan as adopted by the Board, staff will also begin <br />developing the first regular Annual Action Plan for 2001-2002 in the early-fall, <br />with advisory boards helping draft priorities and initiatives during the fall - to be <br />presented at the Board's December goal-setting retreat. <br />