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Northampton County staff seek approval to buy 6.9-acre Skateen parcel along Monocacy Creek
Summary
County parks staff presented a plan to acquire the 6.9-acre Skateen Conservation Area in Lower Nazareth Township for $485,000 to protect riparian buffer, allow fishing access and expand a county greenway; the committee heard the recommendation but did not take a recorded vote.
Northampton County parks staff on Sept. 18 asked the county Energy, Environment and Land Use Committee to approve moving forward with the purchase of the 6.9-acre Skateen Conservation Area, a parcel along Monocacy Creek in Lower Nazareth Township, with a signed agreement of sale at the appraised price of $485,000.
Sherry Acevedo, conservation and open space coordinator for Northampton County Parks and Recreation, told the committee the acquisition would extend an existing greenway network that links Archibald Johnston Conservation Area, Gertrude Fox Conservation Area and Monocacy Meadow and would permanently protect streamside woodlands and provide fishing access and opportunities for passive recreation and environmental education.
The purchase agreement has been signed by the landowner, Acevedo said, and the county is completing due diligence including a survey and title search. She said staff anticipate a closing in December if the committee authorizes final execution of the agreement and due-diligence steps are completed.
Acevedo described several intended future uses and management activities but said specific plans will be developed after acquisition through the county's internal planning process. Potential uses she listed included trails, bird watching, riparian buffer restoration, streambank stabilization, ecological restoration and educational programming. She also said the existing single-family residence and detached dwellings on the property are not slated for demolition.
Funding for the purchase would come from an existing OSI environmentally sensitive fund the county uses for open-space acquisitions, Acevedo said. She also reiterated that volunteers and the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association have been active partners on nearby projects and that the county will continue to rely on volunteer support for ongoing stewardship and programming.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about the volunteer base and management planning; no formal motion or recorded vote took place during the meeting. The committee was presented with the recommendation to authorize final execution of the agreement of sale so staff can complete due diligence and proceed toward closing.
Background: Acevedo said Northampton County currently manages 22 parks and conservation areas totaling about 2,300 acres. The Monocacy Creek watershed encompasses more than 50 square miles across Northampton and Lehigh counties and flows into the Lehigh River in the city of Bethlehem. The Skateen parcel would become part of the county's system of conservation areas if the acquisition closes.
