THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 28, 1995 TAG: 9507260151
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
A citizens movement to preserve a 142-acre tract of land in Churchland has been ratified by a committee of experts, only one of whom lives in the community around the Twin Pines borrow pit land.
Adjacent to Hoffler Creek, the property is about 20 percent tidal wetlands. It includes a 32-acre borrow pit and has 80 acres of wooded area with cherry, oak and pine trees. The land now is owned by the state.
The committee's report, presented at a Monday work session of City Council, is the first step toward creating a conservation area that not only would preserve the area as a natural habitat for wildlife, but it would also provide much-needed open space for human beings.
A public hearing on the issue will be held Aug. 7 and then council will vote either to preserve it, partially develop it or let it go to commercial interests.
The recommendation from the experts should carry a lot of weight. Judging from their presentation, they did a lot of research before coming to any conclusions.
As an alternative to total preservation, they offered a suggestion for partial development as a way to get some money for the public part of the project.
The next step, if the council votes to try to save the natural environment, will be finding the money to create and maintain the area as a public place.
There was a time when money for a project such as this was much easier to come by than it is in 1995. However, this is such an unusual place to find in an old land-locked city that we have to believe there is money for it somewhere.
The Portsmouth folks who have pushed to save the area already have their own plan to form the Hoffler Creek Wildlife Refuge Foundation. It would be a hometown-based organization to improve, preserve and operate the area. They propose to raise private money to pay for the project.
The city, which would be the agent between the state and whoever uses the land, ought to give the citizens a chance.
The movement to preserve the tract started with nearby River Shore residents, who have enjoyed the presence of wildlife in their neighborhood and who documented the resident species. However, the idea gained support across the city as the word got out that the land might be densely developed.
People who love Portsmouth see the refuge as another of the city's wonderful hidden assets.
Development on the site, limited by environmental regulations, possibly could cost the city as much in the long run as the taxes that would be realized.
So the major consideration would be the cost of creating and maintaining a refuge - not only for wildlife but for human beings.
Over the years, Portsmouth has made some mistakes - the same mistakes made by a lot of old cities.
It nearly destroyed itself with urban ``renewal,'' which seems to have accomplished little in Portsmouth except to create more places to ``renew.''
The city fell prey to developers and investors, who took their money and ran across the city lines when new opportunities arose. They left behind the shambles of outdated shopping areas and apartments.
Portsmouth has allowed absentee landlords of both commercial and residential property leeway, a laxness that has pushed the city down to a critical point.
But Portsmouth still has a lot of good things: miles of waterfront, Olde Towne and other historic places, City Park, some wonderful neighborhoods full of wonderful people, etc., etc.
People who discover Portsmouth think it's a great place to live. Those who come here from elsewhere by and large are great boosters of the city. In recent weeks, I just happen to have talked to several property owners who can't say enough good about Portsmouth.
The proposed Hoffler Creek Wildlife Refuge would be another of those assets that make the city different - and reflect its character. by CNB