GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1311

Short Title:  Mountains to Sea State Park Trail.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Lee, Odom; and Carpenter.

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Referred to:  Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources.

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May 18, 2000

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE ADDITION OF THE MOUNTAINS TO SEA STATE PARK TRAIL TO THE STATE PARKS SYSTEM, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMISSION.
Whereas, Section 5 of Article XIV of the State Constitution states that it shall be a proper function of the State of North Carolina to acquire and preserve park, recreational, and scenic areas and, in every other appropriate way, to preserve as a part of the common heritage of this State its open lands and places of beauty; and
Whereas, the General Assembly enacted the State Parks Act in 1987, declaring that the State of North Carolina offers unique archaeological, geological, biological, scenic, and recreational resources, and that such resources are part of the heritage of the people of the State to be preserved and managed by those people for their use and for the use of their visitors and descendants; and
Whereas, a Mountains to Sea Trail across North Carolina would offer outstanding recreational opportunities to the State's citizens; would protect riparian buffers and corridors of wildlife habitat along its route; and would possess biological, scenic, and recreational resources of statewide significance; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to add the Mountains to Sea State Park Trail to the State Parks System as provided in G.S. 113-44.14(b).  The State Park Trail shall be comprised only of those lands or easements which are or will be allocated for management to the Division of Parks and Recreation for this purpose.  The Division shall promote, encourage, and facilitate the establishment of dedicated connecting trails through lands managed by other governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations in order to form a continuous trail across the State.
Section 2.  Article 2 of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 113-34.1.  Power to acquire conservation lands not included in the State Parks System.
The Department of Administration may acquire and allocate to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for management by the Division of Parks and Recreation, lands that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources finds are important for conservation purposes but which are not included in the State Parks System.  Lands acquired pursuant to this section are not subject to the provisions of Article 2C of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes and may be traded or transferred as necessary to protect, develop, and manage the Mountains to Sea State Park Trail, other State Parks, or other conservation lands."
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.