C Open Space Acquisition C
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
– Open Space Acquisition – Feasibility Study for a State Program in North Carolina by Daniel Lyons A Masters Project submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Regional Planning in the Department of City and Regional Planning. Chapel Hill 2002 Approved by: READER ADVISOR ― OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION ― FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA Daniel Lyons April 22, 2002 PLAN 392 MASTER’S PROJECT Department of City and Regional Planning University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599 DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA THE CONSERVATION TRUST FOR NORTH CAROLINA The Conservation Trust for North Carolina is a nonprofit, public interest organization that works to enrich and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of North Carolina by helping communities, land trusts, landowners and public agencies conserve and protect lands important for their natural, scenic, historic, and recreational values. The organization’s vision is to create a permanent network of conservation lands interwoven with the urban areas of our state. Our final goal is to protect irreplaceable natural resources and rural landscapes and to provide attractive, enjoyable settings for living and working. ii DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA THE STANBACK CONSERVATION INTERNSHIP This project was funded through the Stanback Internship Program by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stanback. The program is a partnership between students and targeted conservation organizations. The purpose of the program is to provide students with significant work experience in grassroots conservation, advocacy, applied resource management or environmental policy. The author and CTNC wish to thank the Stanbacks for making this report possible. iii DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA An all too familiar trend threatens North Carolina=s sandhills. Every year more people discover the region, recognizing that beautiful, rolling countryside, mild winters, and great golf courses make it an excellent place to live. The sprawl of human activities and the suppression of fire have severely altered the natural ecological processes of this area. This has caused many native plant and animal species to become rare and endangered. However, as more people learn to appreciate the unique character and beauty of the sandhills we can reverse recent trends. Nature and people can live in harmony if we make natural area protection and management high priorities. The State of North Carolina Sandhills - Present and Future A Sign for an Exhibit at the North Carolina Botanical Garden In wildness is the preservation of the world. Henry David Thoreau Walking (1906) See! This our fathers did for us. John Ruskin iv DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. viii SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... xi NEXT STEPS .................................................................................................................................. xiv HEARD AROUND THE STATE ......................................................................................................... xvi INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................1 The Race for Open Space Sprawl and Smart Growth Open Space – Definitions Open Space – Benefits & Costs Open Space – Types of Ownership TRENDS .......................................................................................................................................*** National North Carolina ACQUISITION STRATEGIES .........................................................................................................*** Techniques Funding Partnerships STATE PROGRAMS ......................................................................................................................*** Connecticut Florida Maryland New Jersey New York NORTH CAROLINA - THE PRESENT ............................................................................................*** Summary Clean Water Management Trust Fund Conservation Grant Fund Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Conservation Tax Credit Program Farmland Preservation Trust Fund National Recreational Trails Grant Fund Natural Heritage Trust Fund Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program v DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA Water Resources Development Grant Fund Wetlands Restoration Program NORTH CAROLINA - THE FUTURE .............................................................................................*** Introduction Goals Funding Criteria Staffing Management Strategy Recommendations Next Steps CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................*** REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................*** APPENDIX A..................................................................................................................................*** List of Contacts APPENDIX B..................................................................................................................................*** List of Resources APPENDIX C..................................................................................................................................*** Legislation C1 – Connecticut C2 – Florida C3 – Maryland C4 – New Jersey C5 – New York APPENDIX D............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Legislation North Carolina APPENDIX E............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Legislation State Incentive-Based Growth Management Laws (A database by the National Conference of State Legislatures) APPENDIX F ............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Referenda Referenda Results (A report by the Land Trust Alliance) vi DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA APPENDIX G............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Referenda Livability at the Ballot Box: State and Local Referenda on Parks, Conservation, and Smarter Growth, Election Day 1998 (A discussion paper by the Brookings Institution) APPENDIX H............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Sprawl in North Carolina Reexamining Progress – Sprawl in North Carolina (A report by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation) APPENDIX I ................................................................................................................ (not paginated) Planning for Open Space – State of Connecticut Open Space – Connecticut! (A report by the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Open Space) APPENDIX J................................................................................................................ (not paginated) Planning for Open Space – State of New Jersey Governor’s Inaugural Address – January 20, 1998 (A speech by Governor Christine Todd Whitman) APPENDIX K............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Benefits of Open Space The Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space (A report by the Trust for Public Land) APPENDIX L............................................................................................................... (not paginated) Conservation Design Growing Greener – Putting Conservation into Local Codes (A report by the Natural Lands Trust) APPENDIX M.............................................................................................................. (not paginated) Local Strategies for Open Space Local Parks, Local Financing (A set of web pages by the Trust for Public Land) vii DANIEL LYONS OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MASTER’S PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A STATE PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report investigates the feasibility of establishing a state sponsored program for the acquisition of open space in North Carolina. It details the results of research on acquisition programs in other states including program structure, funding sources, funding criteria, political strategy, and implementation. It also provides information on the existing programs for open space in North Carolina. The report proposes an open space acquisition and protection program for North Carolina that will exist cooperatively with similar state programs such as the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and the Natural Heritage Trust Fund. A list of recommendations and a list of steps to be taken are