Fw: INC NEWS - Re: INC NEWS

[Deb Christie]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Deb Christie" <dchristie1 at nc.rr.com>
To: "Richard Mullinax" <rcmj at nc.rr.com>
Cc: "Hildegard Ryals" <hryals at mindspring.com>; "Wendy Jacobs" 
<geewen at nc.rr.com>; "Jeff Fisher" <jfisher at tarriver.org>; "Lisa Cavanaugh" 
<lac14 at duke.edu>; "'Chuck Eilber'" <Ceilber at cs.com>; "Doug&Sue MacKinnon" 
<dugandsumack at mindspring.com>; "Buck Horton" <buck_horton at unc.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Re: INC NEWS


> Richard,
>
> The Penny offer is contingent on the purchase of the Duke Tract, which 
> demonstrates what leverage this purchase has for open space in the New 
> Hope Creek Corridor.  If the Duke Tract is not purchased, the Pennys will 
> not sell their 25 acres directly in the New Hope Creek Corridor for the 
> bargain price of $5500 an acre - this is land which Durham City and County 
> have been trying to buy for 15 years.  Likewise, if the Duke Tract is not 
> purchased, the Penny's will not put additional acres under conservation 
> easement (I am not sure of the exact number, since I assume that some of 
> the originally offered 44 acres are included in the 25 acres to be sold 
> outright).
>
> We should also understand also that the maximum that Durham City is being 
> asked to do is pay $30,000 per year for the next 3 years toward the 
> purchase price of $1.5 million.  (Durham County will be taking the risk of 
> obtaining grant money, and will put in a maximum of $400,000 over 3 years. 
> Orange County will put in a maximum of $200,000 over 3 years.  Chapel Hill 
> will put in a maximum of $100,000 over 3 years.)
>
> So to me, with the additional leverage of the Penny land, this is a 
> slam-dunk for Durham City - for $30,000 per year, Durham City does its 
> very small part in completing a major piece of the New Hope Creek 
> corridor, adding 44 plus 25 = 69 acres plus the additional acres put under 
> conservation easement.
>
> With the momentum we now have, the time is also probably right to go back 
> to adjacent land owned by Trinity School and negotiate again for even more 
> acres along the New Hope Creek.
>
> How can Durham City not do this very small part and contribute just 
> $30,000 per year?  Durham City's participation with the other 3 
> jurisdictions will greatly enhance the grant applications, and it is 
> inconceivable to me that Durham would decline to contribute so little when 
> the other 3 jurisdictions are on board for much more and the payoff is so 
> disproportionately large.
>
> Deb Christie
> Vice Chair, New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee
> Member, EANG from Colony Hill and Piney Mountain
> Member, INC from Colony Hill
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Richard Mullinax" <rcmj at nc.rr.com>
> To: <inc-list at rtpnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 8:37 AM
> Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Re: INC NEWS
>
>
>>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.
>>
>>
>>
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>