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Wake drops open-space requirement for developers

The Wake County Board of Commissioners voted Monday to scrap an ordinance that required developers to set aside acres of open space in subdivisions or pay into a fund to acquire other land for open areas.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The Wake County Board of Commissioners voted Monday to scrap an ordinance that required developers to set aside acres of open space in subdivisions or pay into a fund to acquire other land for open areas.

Both the county's Planning Department and Planning Board recommended repealing the ordinance, which was adopted in 2002. Planners said the rules were outdated and that the county has developed better ways to preserve open space in recent years.

Developers said the ordinance added costs to building subdivisions, which made it more difficult in the struggling economy to get projects done.

Some conservation groups expressed concern that the board's move will weaken Wake County's commitment to greenways and other open areas, which they say adds to the local quality of life.

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