BC 2015 07 20 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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July 20, 2015 (Regular Meeting) Page 2490 Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners ATTEST: /s/ Megan I.E. Smit Megan I. E. Smit, Clerk to the Board (F -7) Planning and Development - Return of Property Donated to Habitat for Humanity In December of 2010, a 30 -acre parcel off Hwy 601 and Brown Street SW in Concord was donated by the County to Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus for the purpose of an affordable housing development. After more investigation, Habitat for Humanity has determined that the development of the property for affordable housing is not feasible. The property has significant topographic issues as well as geographic issues. Habitat for Humanity has approached County Staff regarding the return of the property to Cabarrus County. Habitat is requesting the Board of Commissioners consider the County reassuming ownership of the property. UPON MOTION of Commissioner Shue, seconded by Commissioner Honeycutt and unanimously carried, the Board accepted the return of the 30 -acre tract between Hwy 601 and Brown Street SW that was donated to Habitat for Humanity and authorized the County Manager and County Attorney to approve the required transfer documents. (F -8) Planning and Development - Soil and Water Conservation District - Resolution for the Protection of Clarke Creek Recent development activity in the vicinity of Clarke Creek has renewed the concern of the Soil and Water Conservation District Board. Cabarrus County and the State of North Carolina have invested a great deal of money and time into the restoration of wetlands behind Cox Mill Elementary School. Clarke Creek is a Significant Natural Heritage Area and is of particular value for the regionally important wetland located there. The Natural Heritage Inventory was a study funded by the Board of Commissioners in 2002. New development threatens the health of this significant heritage area. Additional development adds more runoff that contains contaminants threatening the health of this fragile environment. The Soil and Water Conservation District Board is requesting the Board of Commissioners join them in adopting the attached resolution to further the protection of this highly valued area. UPON MOTION of Commissioner Shue, seconded by Commissioner Honeycutt and unanimously carried, the Board adopted the following resolution. Resolution No. 2 015 -16 RESOLUTION BY THE CABARRUS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD REGARDING CONSERVATION OF CLARKE CREEK HERON ROOKERY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREA WHEREAS, Revolutionary War General Paul Barringer hid for an extended period from enemy troops in canebrakes along Clarke Creek and African- American farmer Benjamin Walker purchased land on Clarke Creek in the early part of the 20th century along the road that now bears his name and; WHEREAS, the area along Clarke Creek has a long history of identification for protection and preservation. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission targeted the Clarke Creek wetland for land acquisition as early as the 1960s for the protection of the state - designated, regionally- important two hundred - acre wetland complex known officially as the Clarke Creek Heron Rookery Significant Natural Heritage Area. The area was included in an Inventory of the Significant Natural Areas of Cabarrus County, North Carolina that was published in 2002. The Land Trust for Central North Carolina purchased 33 acres within this unique natural area in part with a $50,000 grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund for the dual purposes of environmental education and water quality protection and the Land Trust for Central North Carolina in turn transferred the title to this property to Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District in 2007 for protection; and WHEREAS, the 2010 Cabarrus Soil establishing a conservation field Conservation District now operates Creek. The field school is on descendants by the Land Trust for donated to the District; and and Water Strategic Plan goals included school, which the Cabarrus Soil and Water as The Conservation Field School at Clarke land purchased from the Benjamin Walker Central North Carolina before this land was