By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

If Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes is successful in his proposal that the state provide funding to set aside 20 percent of land in metropolitan areas as parks and green space, Fayette County should be first in line, says county Commissioner Glen Gosa.

“The governor has proposed this, and I would say that we have an interest,” Gosa added. “I would like to have a list [of potential green space preserves in Fayette] so when they come up with prposals, we can be first in line,” he said.

But before the county assigns staff the task of developing such a list, the governor's ideas should be a little more concrete, said commission Chairman Harold Bost. “We can adopt the policy that we're interested, and then try to get more information before we put staff work into it,” he said.

Commissioners agreed with that approach during the commission's annual planning retreat recently, and unanimously adopted the cautiously interested stance.

In a recent speech, Barnes said his proposal is born of a love for Georgia's rural aspects.

“Those of us who grew up here remember walks in the woods, swimming in lakes or rivers, and vacations in the mountains or at the coast,” Barnes said. “I want our children and grandchildren — and their children's children — to have those same memories.”

The governor's floor leaders have introduced the Georgia Community Greenspace Initiative in the General Assembly. The bill, Barnes said, establishes the structure and guidelines for distributing funds to help fast-growing counties like Fayette buy land for parks.

Barnes is asking the legislature to put $30 million in the budget for the project.

To qualify for the funds, a county must have a population of at least 60,000 or one that has grown by at least 800 persons per year on average since the last census. Fayette qualifies on both counts.

More than 40 counties, containing about 73 percent of the state's population, qualify for the funds, Barnes said.

To receive funds, a county must establish an approved greenspace protection plan by Jan. 1, 2001 with a goal of preserving 20 percent of its land as green space.

“Preserving green space not only ensures that children will have a place to play. It's also good for our pocketbooks,” said Barnes. “As I've said before, `Quality of life sells houses.'”