Dade County Commissioners are considering to bankroll a $500,000 commitment to begin the process of acquiring nearly 660 acres of land near Lookout Creek, in order to establish a new community forest in the near future.
The root idea of a community forest is to create more outdoor recreational opportunities for both residents and visitors, while generating greater economic development through land conservation.
Dade County Commissioner Philip Hartline had Noel Durant, Tennessee’s State Director for Public Land Trust, address the commission during a Thursday night workshop for an overview of the proposed transaction and how Dade County can pursue additional state and federal grant funding for the land purchase.
Durant proposed Dade County could harness greater local tax revenues from Cloudland Canyon State Park’s visitors, citing it as Georgia’s fourth most attended state park.
Durant speculated if the community forest could retain just 10% of Cloudland’s 400,000 annual visitors,it would equate to as much as $3 million dollars of additional economic impact every year.
The property is contingual to much of Cloudland and Durant says the community forest would serve as a natural link of the valley floor all the way to the canyon top.
Much of the proposed parcel is south and west of Highway 136, centered near the switchbacks section of the roadway.
The property is currently owned by the Georgia Alabama Land Trust and has an estimated cost acquisition value of $1.8 million, according to Durant.
Durant says he’s had positive discussions with both the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission about the proposal and is confident both agencies would approve of the project.
Commissioners have a trio of grant proposal options to consider from the Public Land Trust. Durant says the fastest turnaround time for one scenario would have a Spring 2026 closing time for the property, but the submission deadline for the first “stackable” grant is October.
While commissioners initially seemed warm to the prospect of a community forest, they say they want to advance the concept with caution.
Commissioner Robert Goff says ” he’s passing the torch to General Bob Wood in about three months, but doesn’t want to agree to something to start another commission off with a $500,000 perhaps more debt.”
Commissioner Philip Hartline suggested using ARPA as well as Dade’s hotel/motel tax funds for the starting half million dollars required for grant matching.
Commission Chair Ted Rumley wanted Mr. Durant to revisit the topic at the next scheduled meeting.
By Vince Lennon
Dade County Commission Monthly Meeting 9/5/2024
