Updated: Open Space Council Public Workshop For NCC Set For 5PM September 29th In The Brandywine Hundred Library

(White Clay Creek image unknown)

Update: Draft of Standards and Criteria for State Resource Areas (SRAs)

In accordance with the Land Protection Act, 7 Del. C., Ch. 75, to be considered for inclusion in a map/listing of SRAs, land and/or water areas must exhibit one or more of the following:

• Property that contains endangered, threatened, or ecologically significant species , Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) as defined in the Delaware Wildlife Action Plan , or natural ecosystems;

• Property with a significant potential to support endangered, thre atened, or e cologically significant species, SGCN, or natural systems;

• Property that is important because of its historical or cultural value or its proximity to an historically significant area;

• Property that includes or enhances important wildlife habita t or migration corridors, as well as potential wildlife habitat or migration corridors;

• Property with forest resources that are significant;

• Property with wetlands, flood plains, or other lands necessary for the protection of water resources;

• Property that contains significant or unique ecosystems, natural features, or geological features;

• Property which is an inholding or contiguous to or nearby lands already preserved by federal, state, local, or other conservation agencies;

• Property that will provide pu blic outdoor recreation;

• Property that will allow natural systems or plants and animals to accommodate or adapt to climate change or other large - scale changes in ecosystem processes ; or

• Property that would otherwise further or satisfy any of the purposes of the Act.

Notice of public workshops:

The Open Space Council is going forward with public workshops and a public hearing on the draft Standards and Criteria for State Resource Areas (SRA)s. 

The workshops will start at 5 pm as listed below:

•  Sussex County: Monday, September 21^st – Georgetown Public Library, 123 West Pine Street, Georgetown, DE 19947

•  Kent County: Tuesday, September 22^nd – Dover Public Library, 45 S. State Street, Dover, DE 19901

•  New Castle County: Tuesday, September 29^th – Brandywine Hundred Library, Meeting Room B, 1300 Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE 19803 

The public hearing will also start at 5 pm and will be held at the Dover Public Library on October 20^th.  

 

Elena M. Stewart

Land Preservation Specialist

Delaware State Parks

89 Kings Highway

Dover, Delaware 19901

(302) 739-9935

http://www.destateparks.com

Read the August 3, 2015 meeting minutes for the Open Space Council Committee on SRAs HERE

Read the draft of the revised SRA standards HERE

http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/OpenSpaces/Documents/Draft-revision-of-SRA-Standards-and-criteria-8-17-2015.pdf 

With a message from David Carter:

Here is a notice of the open space workshops.  These are being conducted as DNREC tries to comply with the Land Protection Act .   

They provide an important opportunity for communities to consider the land/open space they would like to see included as being eligible for state land protection funding.  

If there are in-holding areas or remnant farms within more developed suburban areas, they may be missed unless the public attends and speaks out about them.  

The first workshop will be to set the “criteria” for inclusion in State Resource Areas (which make the properties eligible for state person if the landowner voluntarily decides to sell).  DNREC will then make statewide maps of the areas included, that will go through a formal public hearing process.  

 I would urge on of our Civic League members and the community members we represent to get engaged in this process.  

Areas like Marshallton, Bear, etc. may have key open space areas they would like to have considered for protection in lieu of future development, and need to determine if they fit into the criteria.  

This is an important incentive tool that could be helpful, as land use regulation has it limits in protecting the communities shared interest in maintaining publicly accessible open space for the public good.

Dave Carter