Greenways and Open Space
What is it?
"Open Space" areas are undeveloped lands that often (but not necessarily) contain environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, steep slopes, agricultural land, or parks. "Greenways" are corridors of protected open space that provide for recreation and transportation (i.e., pedestrain and bicycle paths, hiking and multi-purpose trails). Greenways tend to follow natural land or water features and often serve as linkages between populated areas and parks, historic sites, and significant natural areas.
What is the Impact?
Perceived concerns for safety of greenway users, greenway maintenance; conflict with trail users (i.e., horses, bicyclists, and pedestrians on multi-use trails); reduction in tax revenues from protected open space areas that are taken out of the tax base.
What are the Benefits?
Economic
- Increased property value and marketability for properites adjacent to, or within short distances of, open space and greenways.
- Tourism and recreational spending on bicycles and other equipment and lodging.
- Healthier humans and reduced medical costs.
Environmental
- Improved air quality through preservation of vegetation that creates oxygen and filters out air pollutants such as ozone, sulfar dioxide and carbon monoxide.
- Improved water quality through filtration of non-point source pollution.
- Provision of additional areas for flood control.
- Serve as wildlife corridors.
- Protection of local ecology.
Social
- Enhances the character of the area.
- Preservation of natural areas for passive recreation pursuits (i.e., parks, walking trails).
Tracking Progress
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Cumberland County - Phase 1 of the Cape Fear River Trail is located between Methodist College and Clark Park. A second phase is planned between Clark Park and the Cape Fear Botancial Gardens. The Trail is identified as a portion of the proposed East Coast Greenway project, a greenway that will extend up the entire east coast of the United States. The All American Trail opened in 2006, and is located along a portion of the southern boundary of the Fort Bragg Army Post. The entire trail is planned to connect the Weymouth Woods State Nature Preserve in Moore County with Bill Hefner Elemenatry School in Cumberland County. The Alll American Trail will surround the Fort Bragg military reservation when completed. |
Lee County - The Endor Iron Trail is planned to connect Sanford with the historic Endor Iron Furnace. The Sanford-Lee County Planning Department is also beginning to address the Lee County Open Space Initiative, as well as discussing the benefits of greenways and open space in economic development recruitment. The County has also opened a new park at Southern Lee High School.
| Harnett County-The Dunn-Erwin Trail in the City of Dunn is identified as part of the proposed East Coast Greenway project. |  |
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Scotland County -The County recently adopted a County-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan where a key recommendation was the creation of greenways. The City of Laurinburg, in cooperation with the County, is starting the process of identifiying their first greenways corridor. |
Moore County
The Pinehurst Greenway now has over 3.6 miles of trails completed in the first phase with an additional .75 miles currently in the design stage for the coming months. A portion of the Greenway Trail System also runs through Rassie Wicker Park from Hwy 211 to the future site of the Pinehurst Arboretum. The greenway trails are utilized by residents in Pinehurst and from surrounding communities, as well as others who may be here on vacation. The trails have been designed for the walking, jogging or biking pleasure of people of all ages.
The Town of Southern Pines Greenway system provides benefits to all citizens of Southern Pines and is used heavily by Southern Pines residents and non-residents. Currently, there are 11 miles of greenway with future growth mapped out. Local High Schools use the greenway systems for their cross-country teams; bike groups have used it for races; people who like to exercise daily or several times a week; people walking their dogs or just strolling around with friends and family.
How to Implement
Public
- Support planning for open space preservation and greenway provisions.
- Volunteer to serve on a local planning or parks and recreation board.
- Participate in local greenway clean-up and maintenance programs.
Elected Officials
- Form a local Greenway and/or Open Space Committee to determine open space area and greenway linkages that are important to the community.
- Map areas for open space preservation and greenways.
- Adopt and/or amend local development regulations to encourage or require dedication or reservation of open space in development plans, and the use of conservation subdivision design in residental development.
- Investigate grant opportunities for acquistion of open space and provision of greenways.
- Begin acquiring land through conservation easements, public/private partnerships and outright purchases.
- Work with the local agricultural community on farmland preservation programs such as the NC Farmland Preservation Trust Fund
Sources of Assistance and Ideas
- Farmland Preservation Organzations that operate in North Carolina.
- Land Preservation Notebook
- North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
- North Carolina Rail-Trails Program Information
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse
- Triangle J Council of Governments "Triangle Greenprint Project":
- The Trust for Public Land's "Local Greenprint Project"
Localities that have adopted Plans or Ordinances:
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Cumberland and Moore Counties have both adopted conservation subdivision design regulations in their land development ordinances.
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Lee County, the City of Sanford, and the Town of Broadway have cluster subdivision regulations for dedication of open space or payment in lieu of dedication in their development regulations (administered by the Sanford-Lee County Planning Department).
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Harnett, Hoke, and Montgomery Counties have adopted Planned Unit Development (PUD) provisions in their land use regulations where open space is required.
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Scotland County adopted the Scotland County Parks and Recreation Master Plan in 2006.