Preservation in the News

By Ginger Livingston 

Rapid and often uncontrolled development is robbing North Carolinians of the forests, waterways and open farm fields that nourish their souls and pocketbooks, according to leading conservationists.

The concerns prompted the General Assembly to form a commission to study how the state's land and waterways can be protected. The Land and Water Conservation Study Commission has produced a draft report and is currently gathering public comment on its recommendations.

The study concludes land and water can be preserved, but it will take $1 billion over five years to get started and funding sources should be varied.

About 175 people attended a meeting Monday to comment on the proposals, filling the aisles and hall outside a 100-seat classroom in Pitt Community College's Leslie Building. A meeting in Asheville last week drew nearly 300 people, said Rep. Lucy Allen, commission co-chairwoman.

When the commission was formed last year it was charged with evaluating existing conservation funding sources, finding out how other states developed conservation programs and addressing the state's funding needs, said Cindy Avrette, a legislative staff attorney who consulted with the commission.

"Now is the time to invest in land and water conservation," Avrette said. "It's only going to get more expensive if it isn't done now."

North Carolina loses 277 acres of open land a day, she said. With an ever-growing population, rapid development and unusually large tracts of timberland and farmland being sold, the losses will grow. The commission's draft report has found the state has substantial investment in areas of land and water conservation and historic preservation but more is needed, she said.

The state should invest $1 billion over the next five years in conservation and preservation, but the commission hasn't recommended one funding method over another, Avrette said. It should be balanced between broad-based tax options like a sales tax, development-based options like a land-transfer tax and tourism-based options.

"Will agriculture be targeted (to pay) most of the cost?" asked Kelly Vann, president of the Northampton County Farm Bureau. "We are in favor of land and water conservation but don't think farmers should pay most of the cost."

Farmers argued that several funding proposals involving the use of water would be an unfair financial burden.

"We're trying to farm, and urban development is all around us," said James Barbour of Johnston County, a fast-developing area next to Wake County. He said the proposed water fee will hurt farmers who don't want to sell to developers.

Representatives from the real estate and home building community protested the development-based proposals.

The current tax stamp fee charged when new deeds are registered raises $60 million for land conservation, said Connie Corey, a Greenville real estate agent and president of the N.C. Association of Realtors. Increasing the stamp fees would make it harder for first-time home buyers to purchase property, she said.

Vance County nursery owner Sam Franklin Jr. said not only is a water fee worrisome, he fears the purchase of land by the state for conservation will reduce the amount of taxable land in counties like his and drive up property taxes of remaining landowners.

Greenville attorney Tom Taft, who also is a developer, offered a different perspective.

Land conservation is as important as other infrastructure development, like roads and water and sewer systems. He said anyone who would share the benefits of land conservation, whether builders, farmers or the tourism industry, should share the expense.

Former Jacksonville City Manager Ken Hagan said tourism should have to share the funding burden, pointing out recreational areas lure people to spend money in the state.

Phillip Horne, president of the economic development group Foundation of Renewal for Eastern North Carolina, recommended providing incentives to developers who support conservation through environmentally sensitive design. Laura Williams, another foundation staffer, said there should be development rules that keep waterfront development from harming the values of the land behind it.

Halifax County farmer Ray Garner, whose family land dates to 1867, said the current recommendation only gives 15 percent of the $1 billion funding proposal to aid farmers with land conservation. He said more is needed.

Max Merrill with the state's agriculture department said the commission should finance a trust fund dedicated to protecting working farmland so it can stay on community tax rolls.

Camilla M. Herlevich, N.C. Coastal Land Trust's executive director, supported funding a farmland trust. The trust tries to help working farmers with land preservation but has limited resources, she said.

"Demand is outstripping need," she said. "There are more people who want their land saved that we can handle."

Numerous people voiced support for the project.

Conservation funding has helped the city of Rocky Mount establish recreational areas, said Pete Armstrong, the city's parks and recreation director.

Marion Blackburn of Greenville argued for protecting farmland and developing recreational areas.

"Development has been raging through eastern North Carolina like Sherman's Army," she said.

Heather Jacobs, Riverkeeper for the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation, said the loss of waterfront acreage to development means that most people don't have access to local waters unless they own the property.