North Carolina made good-faith effort to buy property
The community has shown great support for an expanded Haw River State Park. We are grateful for that. There is some perception in parts of the community and media that the state was slow to move on acquiring the property currently being considered for rezoning.
The State Property Office, which handles all acquisitions for the state, has certain rules it must adhere to in order to make an offer on a property. These basic rules protect us all by assuring proper use of our tax dollars.
The state cannot make an offer on a property without having an appraisal in hand by a certified appraiser to justify the offer.
Community volunteers and employees of the state parks and property offices had numerous meetings and discussions with the property owners concerning the 692 acres up for rezoning next to Haw River State Park. Regretfully, the state was never able to obtain written consent to appraise these properties.
The state is willing and able to acquire these properties for the state park at the market price. By overturning this rezoning, we can allow that to happen.
Carolyn Allen
Greensboro
Allen is co-chairwoman, Citizens For Haw River State Park, and a former mayor of Greensboro.
Comments (5)
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Just another 4-wheel driving redneck, I guess.
Posted on October 2, 2007 9:27 AM
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Nitwit,
You just can't understand two totally separate groups can work for the same ends even if their means are different.
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Posted on October 2, 2007 9:34 AM
THE LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE said:
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Nitwit says:
"You REALLY believe that ALL this opposition is some rednecks on a 4-wheeler?"
I think geohokie has hit the nail on the head. Yes, there are many environmentalists who are actively supporting a State Park, but the ones who feel threatened are the ones he mentions. If you don't believe it, ask people who live around there or ask people down in the Southern and Southeastern part of Guilford County where 4 wheelers have crisscrossed private property and have taken down fences to do so---especially around Causey Airfield.
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Posted on October 2, 2007 11:47 AM
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Thanks nitwit! That post, along with my words prove your own shortcomings.
As I said,
"Yes, there are many environmentalists who are actively supporting a State Park, but the ones who feel threatened are the ones he mentions".
The environmentalists include Carolyn who has ALWAYS been an environmentalist. In fact, the righties called her a "tree hugger" the whole time she was Mayor.
Again, thanks for making my point for me, Nitwit.
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Posted on October 2, 2007 6:04 PM
Regardless of who is an "environmentalist" or not, the fact remains that an offer was made by the State to appraise the property which was not accepted. Then someone has the audacity to say "Shame on the State for not moving on this..." when clearly the intention was there but the landowners were looking for a better deal. That "better deal" will now try and draw many thousands of gallons of water a day from the Haw River for several years to develop a golf course and will return effluent, runoff and treated wastewater back into the Haw River and upstream of the Haw River State Park. I don't live anywhere near the proposed development or the State Park but this is a bad idea for the future of the Park, Guilford and Rockingham County residents and North Carolina taxpayers. North Carolina has plenty of golf course developments but only one Haw River State Park and associated ecosystem.
Support the Haw River State Park!!!
Posted on October 3, 2007 2:30 AM