Wicomico Co. legacy area approved for expansion

Officials say a local legacy area was unanimously approved for expansion, in Wicomico County.

The Office of the Wicomico County Executive says on October 4, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved the expansion of the Quantico Creek Rural Legacy Area, in Wicomico County. The expansion was unanimously approved by the Board of Public Works which includes Governor Larry Hogan, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp. The expansion apparently includes areas over the paleochannel and lands along Rewastico Creek in western Wicomico County. These environmentally sensitive and important areas were reportedly recommended to be included in the Rural Legacy Area by County Executive Bob Culver and the County Council.

According to officials, the paleochannel is a buried riverbed estimated to store approximately seven billion gallons of water which currently provides potable water for the City of Salisbury, and is an important future water supply for the citizens of the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County. Officials say this will provide landowners in these areas a voluntary financial alternative to selling lots for development.

Established in 1997 by the State of Maryland, the Rural Legacy Program is designed to preserve large tracts of productive agricultural, forested lands, natural and cultural resources through the purchase of conservation easements. Conservation easements apparently protect the land for future generations while allowing owners to continue to use and live on their land. The Quantico Creek Rural Legacy Area was established locally in the year 2000 and contained 14,687 acres of land. Wicomico County officials report that this expansion will add an additional 21,131 acres to our Rural Legacy Area for a total of 35,818 acres.The county will seek additional funding from the State of Maryland in future years that can be used for the purchase of conservation easements.

Officials say the Rural Legacy Program is a voluntary participation program and easements are sought from willing land owners in these areas in order to protect areas vulnerable to development.

For more information about the Quantico Creek Rural Legacy Program, call Frank Mckenzie with the County Department of Planning and Zoning at 410-548-4860.