Thursday night, Dade County Commissioners took the first step toward creating two new recreational tourism magnets for the future, with both centering on Lookout Creek.
The first action was unanimously approving a $50,000 commitment for funding the preliminary work to acquire a 660 acre parcel of land contiguous to Cloudland Canyon State Park.
Dade County officials believe the property, bi-sected by Highway 136, could be developed into a future community forest.
Noel Durant, Tennessee’s Executive Director of Public Land Trust says the proposed community forest could generate millions of dollars in local economic impact by capturing just a small percentage of visitors to Cloudland Canyon, by enticing them to stay longer in Northwest Georgia by offering additional locations of interest.
The initial $50,000 outlay would allow Dade County and officials from the Public Land Trust to begin applying for eligible state and federal matching grants to help come up with the needed $1.8 million dollars required to buy the property, which proponents say would be a natural canopy connector from Cloudland to the creek valley below.
In a separate motion, commissioners also approved exploring a proposal from the Tennessee Valley Authority to improve and enhance the waterflow in Lookout Creek, by removing what’s left of an antiquated dam near Sells Drive.
Stephen Bontekoe, Executive Director of the Limestone Valley Resource and Conservation Development, says he tentatively bargained for TVA to provide two public access slips to the creek as a concession to agreeing with the dam demolition. Bontekoe says the proposal was received positively and is the basis for further discussion, which could also include visible mile-markers on the creek, much like on state highways.
Bontekoe says the utility first approached him with the idea, noting that any project the agency is involved in is always “first class” and the proposed two new slips would be built by TVA, with no cost incurred by Dade County.
Bontekoe says consummating TVA’s Lookout Creek offer would answer one question he’s often asked by area water enthusiasts, who clamor for greater access to Lookout Creek.
Commissioners had little discussion before approving Bontekoe to further his dialogue with TVA’s proposal, but initially balked at the $50,000 seed money for the community forest commitment.
Vice-Chair Robert Goff, who presided over the meeting with Chairman Ted Rumley and Commissioner Lamar Lowery noth absent, says he was initially hesitant in committing funds to a project that an incoming Commission may not want to pursue.
Dade County Commissioner 4 Elect General Bob Wood addressed the council and said while he appreciates Goff’s sentiment, he felt the $50,000 commitment is warranted, considering the upside value the recreational forest would bring to the area. General Wood said he would vote yes to a motion, which was later approved unanimously with District 4 Commissioner Melissa Bradford concurring.
Durant says he’ll begin the process of appraising the Lookout Creek parcel with an October 31st deadline in mind for the first of three potential grant funding scenarios for funding.
He also mentioned a possible philanthropic donation, which could trim the current purchase price for the property by as much as $200,000.
Dade County Commission Monthly Meeting 10/3/2024
Agenda available here:
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/…/SB_MeetingListing…
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