Grant sought to buy land near base
By Barbara Arntsen
Published in News on November 16, 2004 2:03 PM
The Goldsboro City Council voted Monday to apply for a $6 million grant that would restore acres of wetlands and protect the base from development.
In July, the city and county were approved to receive a $1.7 million grant from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund. The local match, from the city and county, was $600,000.
Now the city will apply for another $6 million to expand the project. The local match will be $500,000, split by the city and county.
The first grant the city and county received would protect about 500 acres along Stoney and Walnut creeks in the Neuse River Basin near Seymour Johnson. Designated areas are along U.S. 70 East by the base and in the Genoa area on the southern end of the runway.
The land is also in the accident potential zone beyond the runway. Development in the zone could threaten the base's ability to perform its mission, officials say.
The $1.7 million grant allowed the city to include any areas in accident potential zones at either end of the runway, but didn't provide additional funding to buy the land.
The Coastal Land Trust contracted with Mayes Wilson Associates to study the area and to develop a land acquisition priority list.