Charlotte, NC - Sept. 6, 2001 - With development gobbling an estimated 41 acres a day in the Charlotte region, open-space preservation has pushed to the front of the quality-of-life issues first raised by a 1998 environmental summit.

On Thursday, a citizens group held the first of three workshops to begin crafting a regional open-space strategy. The final product, to be completed early next year, will map candidate sites and suggest criteria for preserving them.

The workshops are being conducted by Voices & Choices, a citizens' initiative formed after the 1998 summit. The Carolinas Land Conservation Network, based at UNC Charlotte, and LandDesign Inc. are consultants.

The summit identified as key issues open space, air quality and transportation, water quality, land use and resource recovery. Work continues separately on those issues, said Voices & Choices interim director Lisa Renstrom.

Most open-space planning concentrates on parks and farmland preservation. The Charlotte workshops, by contrast, will focus on six types of open space.

The 47 people at Thursday's session debated natural habitat, wetlands and floodplains. An Oct.4 workshop will look at farmland, timberland, rural heritage and scenic areas. Parks, recreation and urban green space will be the subjects Nov. 8.

Recognizing different land qualities will help set priorities for preservation, said Vicki Bowman, executive director of the Carolinas Land Conservation Network. It also offers cost-saving potential for local governments. A single purchase could preserve wetlands, for instance, while saving a cherished scenic view.

There's high interest in open space in Anson County, said County Manager Chris Wease, who attended the workshop. The rural county of 25,000 is now putting together its most comprehensive land-use plan.

County residents "want to maintain the rural flavor but they want opportunities for people to stay there and have a good quality of life," Wease said. "It's going to be a balancing act."

On Nov. 16, Voices & Choices will convene county officials from throughout the region to talk about open space, Renstrom said. County commissioners will be asked to adopt "quality of life" resolutions affirming their commitment to a sustainable environment and economy.

Town and county meetings will be held in the first half of 2002, followed by a second environmental summit in the fall.

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