Commissioners present: Chairman Chad Stewart, Ted Godwin, Patrick Harris, Butch Lawter, Fred Smith, Larry Wood
Absent: Tony Braswell

TRAIL STUDY WILL IDENTIFY ROUTING ALONG NEUSE

The board approved a county contribution of $7,500 to help fund a $150,000 study contracted by the N.C. Department of Transportation to determine exactly where to locate a proposed greenway trail along the Neuse River between existing paved trails at Clayton and Smithfield. NCDOT wants "to get a good route in place" after exploring options with landowners, explained Adrian O'Neal, the county's parks, greenways, and open space coordinator. The study should be done by next July, he said. Funding to construct the trail has yet to be determined.

COUNTY BUYS SITE FOR BOAT RAMP AT CLAYTON

Acting on another recreational matter from Mr. O'Neal, commissioners approved payment of $34,080 to the Johnston County Board of Education for 2.8 acres beside the Neuse River at the NC 42 bridge that was part of the tract purchased for nearby East Clayton Elementary School. Mr. O'Neal said the Town of Clayton is interested in constructing a "proper boat ramp" at the site in place of an often-used canoe-access point he described as "unsafe." Commissioner Harris added that a fully accessible boat ramp there would be of great assistance to emergency responders who now have limited access to the river.

PRINCETON GETS AID FOR WATER-LINE PROJECT

Commissioners approved by unanimous vote $200,000 for a Town of Princeton project to extend a water line down Massey-Holt Road where residential development is increasing. But as they did earlier this month, they put off acting on the town's request for county aid for a major drainage project until they could get more staff direction on how the county should handle such requests from Johnston's municipalities going forward. Documenting immediate water-line and storm-water needs exceeding $3 million, Princeton officials last month asked the county for $750,000 for the drainage project and $400,000 for the new water line.

NITROGEN CREDITS BOUGHT FOR NEW JAIL COMPLEX

Acting on a recommendation from the project's civil engineer, the board approved spending $91,862 for "nitrogen offset credits" instead of more costly drainage work at the site of the county's new Detention Center and Public Safety Center off US 70 Business east of Smithfield.

Engineer Chad Simmons explained that rainwater runoff from the site's impervious surfaces will "far exceed" the 3.6 pounds per acre per year of nitrogen allowed by the Town of Smithfield's storm-water regulations: 1,870 pounds associated with the Detention Center, 2039 pounds with the Public Safety Center. The "going rate" for purchasing the credits is $23.50 a pound, which produces the total paid by the county, Mr. Simmons noted.

The payments will go to Wildlands Engineering, Inc. of Raleigh, which will use the money for a mitigation project such as a riparian buffer or wetlands restoration in the Neuse River Basin, explained County Utilities Director Chandra Farmer.

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN JOHNSTON'S FUTURE?

Director Greg Walker of the Johnston County Soil and Water Conservation District introduced the board to the concept of agricultural conservation easements as a increasingly popular tool for preserving farmland throughout the nation.

Based on appraisals, a landowner who voluntarily agrees to attach such an easement to his property receives from the government a payment equal to the appraised value of his land on the current commercial market less its appraised value if permanently restricted to agricultural uses, Mr. Walker explained. While giving up development rights, the landowner retains water, hunting, farming, mineral, and timber rights.

Typically, the cost of purchasing a conservation easement is shared 50% by the Federal Government, 25% by the state, with the balance claimed by the landowner as a tax-deductible donation, noted Mr. Walker, who said his office will schedule workshops starting in November to introduce Johnstonians to the concept.