Title
Land Acquisition for Tree Canopy Preservation Program
Action
Action:
A. Approve the purchase of approximately 42.29 acres of property (parcel identification numbers 111-261-07, 111-261-44, and 5514-58-9210) located at 13138 Rocky River Church Road for a purchase price of $2,300,000,
B. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to grant a conservation easement to the Catawba Lands Conservancy, and
C. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to negotiate and execute any documents necessary to complete these transactions.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Alyson Craig, Planning, Design & Development
Tim Porter, Planning, Design & Development
Explanation
* The city was approached by the property owners of 13138 Rocky River Church Road to determine interest in an acquisition of the properties for the Tree Canopy Preservation Program (TCPP), in which 41.88 acres are located in Mecklenburg County and 0.40 acres are located in Cabarrus County.
* The properties are located in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and are in close proximity to the Sherman Branch Nature Preserve.
* Staff assessed the properties using the current TCPP conservation scoring model. The property scored high in comparison to previously TCPP-acquired and targeted properties with significant value related to property location, acres of contiguous tree canopy, overall ecosystem value, forest health, and overall conservation value.
* The property contains approximately 12 acres of high-quality mature hardwood and floodplain forest, supports a confluence of two tributary channels, numerous floodplain pools, and north/northeast facing slopes. Protection of the site will benefit a diversity of resident and migratory wildlife and help to protect the water quality of the Caldwell Creek watershed.
* The property contains approximately 30 acres of former hay fields that will be reforested as part of TCPP.
* The city will donate a conservation easement to the Catawba Lands Conservancy t...
Click here for full text