INC NEWS - Re: INC NEWS

[Richard Mullinax]

I attended the meeting yesterday of all municipalities. I am impressed 
with the Penny offer. I hope it is still valid when the City and County 
buy does not go through. I seems odd for them to offer this as a carrot 
now when they have had it available for years to these governments.

Secondly I think a good issue for INC to take on is what is our position 
to stand and ask Duke to provide some % of its forest land as open space 
as it sells it off for development. If we had an agreement from Duke all 
this energy for this land could be used enjoying it. We could map all 
the open space now and sleep that the protection is there. John Schelp 
has done ground breaking work in partnering with Duke. We do not have to 
reinvent the wheel.

If this land is developed, from the plan I saw about a third to half is 
left open space after houses are built. This open space will be a part 
of the creek trail. I think the community at large will win without 
buying this land to move it into tax generating status from its Duke 
Forrest designation. There are other large sections of the upland creek 
near this site. I am not advocating for not spending taxes alone. We 
have a chance to have more open space and get a new tax source. The same 
is true of the Penny plot. A large section is protected creek and will 
always be open for trails.


One new item. This trail is in the TTA corridor to Chapel Hill from 
Durham. If we want to slow sprawl we will need to build closer to each 
other and much denser near the spine of the train. If there were no open 
space on this section of creek I would be all for some open space, but 
these residents have open space. I would like to ensure that we all have 
open space to bike or walk to without using our cars. This creek will be 
a great resource from bike or foot as it is for the hubs of development 
that will continue at South Square and Mt Moriah Road. These will likely 
be train stops.

Richard Mullinax
921 N Mangum



>
> Yes, Bill, it is a conservation issue, that is why the Penney family is
> willing to place an easement on its contiguous land.
>
> Also, many may not be aware (I was not until EANG's efforts) but Duke
> University will not pledge that all current Duke Forest property will 
> remain
> Duke Forest property--it reserves the right to develop it as it 
> wishes. Durham can't rely on Duke for its conservation efforts.