Open Spaces Meeting A Success
Wow! Last night’s Open Spaces Meeting appears to have been a success. Pierce County Councilmembers Tim Farrell and Calvin Goings didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. It was standing room only. Actually, there were people outside the doors hoping to get in and listening from the hallway. Nearly 100 people packed the Snake Lake Nature Center to voice their opinions on the state of open space preservation in our county.
For anyone who missed it, or for those who made it and want to do more, there will be a hearing on Tuesday, November 27, about an ordinance aimed to preserve open space. The ordinance would create a transfer and purchase of development rights program in Pierce County. This program would give organizations like the Cascade Land Conservancy another tool to preserve open space under pressure from developers.
When and Where
Tuesday, Nov. 27, 3 pm
Pierce County Council Chambers
Room 1045
930 Tacoma Avenue South
For more information on the transfer and purchase of development rights program see the CLC
4 comments
L Lynn November 17, 2007
Gee, set me straight. I wasn’t there but understand that there was a large and vocal contingent asking why County Exec Ladenberg and Eric Anderson could just ‘take’ the preserved Conservation Futures Fund site on Thea Foss and ‘give’ it to the Children’s Museum to develop. No wonder trust in the city/county government is completely eroded.
C Claudia November 17, 2007
It is absolutely crucial to preserve farmland for future food security as well and clean air and wellbeing of the population. If city, county and metro parks trade open space land to develop as they see fit regardless of ordinances and regulation, creating another tool to preserve land is only as good as our elected officials. We can hope to vote in better folks in the future, in the mean time we have to create open-land protection that has teeth and keeps the developers off the green and open spaces. The Conservation Futures Funds uses taxpayer money to purchase open space, but is too weak to protect it. Who can be sure the TDR/PDR can protect what it promises? I much appreciate the effort By Tim and Calvin, for sure. Doing anything is hopeful. Do I believe the county executive, the city manager or the head of metro parks will act in good faith to protect open space? NO.
R Ryan Mello November 17, 2007
Let’s set the record straight and use facts. The Children’s Museum site on the Thea Foss is not a Metro Parks Tacoma site. It never has been. The site was purchased in 2005/2006 with Pierce County Conservation Futures dollars (a property tax line item) and deeded over to the Foss Waterway Development Authority – a quasi-government of the City of Tacoma.
It is not a Metro Parks park or facility.
The City of Tacoma requested and paid for the consultation help of Metro Parks planners to go thru a simple planning process, involving the public this past summer. That has been our only involvement thus far – helping the public and property owner (City of Tacoma) to think through what could this open space be.
Please, let’s be accurate in our discussions. This is not a Metro Parks park/facility, therefore we have no direct say over what is sited there, etc.
I realize people are frustated and yes people must be held to a high standard. Deed restrictions do mean something and government needs to demonstrate by action that we can be trusted.
But please, let’s get our facts straight before we start firing off claims.
C Claudia November 18, 2007
Ryan,
Yes, let’s keep the facts straight. I did not say metro parks owns the Thea Foss property.
I mentioned metro parks for the fact that a new facility with paved parking is planned at the Snake Lake site – just another case of precious open space being developed. Of late we have seen a lot of planning by metro parks – more new facilities and more programming and more interest in development. I would like to see better stewardship of the land, more clearing of invasive species and less lawn. Fortunately, many volunteer groups step up to actually do the work in restoring habitats. But alas, I get off topic.
I agree,let’s get our facts straight before we start firing off claims.