Preserving the James River Park System

Well, it may be counter-intuitive for a real estate agent to promote conservation and oppose development, but I applaud the Richmond City Council for approving the conservation easement of the James River Park System. Open access to the James, the parks and trails, and historical areas such as Belle Isle and the Shiplock Park, not only contributes to the intrinsic character of our city but it also adds to our quality of life.

From InRich.com on February 24,2009:

Richmond City Council "approved a conservation easement on 280 acres of the James River Park System. The easement, which attracted support from dozens of residents at last night's meeting, is structured to ensure that the parkland, including Belle Isle and Great Shiplock Park, will never be sold or developed, even by the city, with ballfields, concessions, playgrounds or cell-phone towers. "In our knowledge, this is the first urban conservation in the state of Virginia and maybe in the country," council President Kathy C. Graziano said.
The easement is co-held by the Capital Region Land Conservancy, the Richmond Recreation and Parks Foundation and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation."