Wake Buys 2 Tracts to Preserve as Open Space

Raleigh, N.C. — Wake County on Tuesday purchased 685 acres to preserve as open space.

The Board of Commissioners approved spending $11.8 million to acquire the 563-acre Procter Tract in the Little River watershed in eastern Wake County and $3.5 million for the 122-acre Sinclair Tract in the Falls Lake watershed. The money came from open-space bonds approved by voters last year.

The properties are seen as critical to protecting Wake County watersheds and future water supplies. They contain endangered aquatic species, rare plants, unique granite outcroppings and extensive streams protecting water quality and wildlife in the critical watersheds of Falls Lake and the future Little River Reservoir.

"I am pleased that Wake County citizens continue to support our open space bonds and make it possible for us to preserve important lands like the Procter and Sinclair tracts," Joe Bryan, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, said in a statement. "It's a great day when our partners and private landowners work with us to protect our County's natural legacy and our future."

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Well unless Wake County invades another county and takes their land there is not a whole lot of empty land left. It does make sense to me to buy in the watershed. Only thing I would have preferred is that they not spend bond money, and spent part of the projected additional 35 million they have coming in from a larger tax base. But probably they already have that money targeted to be spent on something else.

whatelseisnew
April 16, 2008 5:44 p.m.

Buying open space close to Raleigh encourages sprawl as people have to move further out to buy land.

Wait to go Wake County.

This sounds like something that they would do in Meekerville.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
April 16, 2008 5:27 p.m.

Yay! Less property on the tax roll! Higher property taxes for the rest of us!

Spaceman Spiff
April 16, 2008 5:15 p.m.

I believe a new reservoir is being built/dug in northeastern Wake County....to be completed in 2011.

wrx44
April 16, 2008 4:47 p.m.

wake county get is water from falls lake, why would they by land from around the little river. what they should have done is took the money and bouth the land around falls lake and then widen or dig another lake for more water. who is running this city or county?