Indeed This Land is Magical !

Taft Wireback's N&R article today broke the important story of the Richardson/Morton/Mountains-to-Sea Trail developing project just off of Plainfield Rd. and north of the Lake Towsend Watershed.

This developing project created by the Guilford County Open Space Committee could protect and preserve between 300 to 500 acres of beautiful land. Much like the Haw River State Park Project that was initially conceived by the Guilford County Open Space Committee this project should be significantly funded by the state because this land can be part of the state’s Mountains-to Sea Trail.

The Guilford County part of this possible $5 million project could turn out to be less than $2 million. That $2 million, if approved by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, would come from already set aside Open Space Bonds that were approved by voters in 2004. The other key to this project is that as much as $1 million from those bond funds could be reimbursed to Guilford County from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund since this purchase would significantly protect the water quality of Lake Townsend.

Also in the early stages it appears that the two key property owners the Morton’s and Richardson’s may be willing to sell their land below the appraised value to make this entire project very attractive for everyone involved.

Like the Haw River State Park it is almost too good to be true! But it is all heading in the right direction with many loose ends coming together.

It will take broad community support and the approval of the Guilford County Parks & Rec. Commission and the Guilford County Commissioners to make this project become a reality.

And by the way while a lot of energy is centered on the northern area of the county the Open Space Committee is actively pursuing other open space projects in the southern parts of Guilford County including properties near Deep River.