Media Advisory For Immediate Release

Public Meeting on Nov. 18 seeks input on

“Greenprint” plan for Upper Cahaba Watershed

BIRMINGHAM, AL, Nov. 9, 2004 – The Citizens Advisory Committee of the Upper Cahaba Watershed Study will host a public meeting later this month, where the community can view and offer input on a “Greenprint” plan to identify important open space and natural lands around the Cahaba River and its tributaries.

The public meeting will be Thursday, November 18 at the McWane Center auditorium, 200 19th St. N., in downtown Birmingham. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

EDAW Inc, an Atlanta-based consulting firm specializing in planning and environmental design, will explain the process of a Greenprint Plan at this public meeting. Atlanta-based Entrix will present an update of its work on the economic impact overview. Greenprint maps and information will be available. Participants will be available prior to the meeting to answer questions. Free parking will be available in the McWane Center deck.

The proposed Greenprint Plan will provide a framework for land conservation decisions and is becoming a more widely used tool throughout the United States. According to the national non-profit organization, The Trust for Public Land, “Across the country, local governments and community partners are working strategically to conserve important open space and natural lands before they are lost forever.” A smart growth idea for land use, it incorporates land conservation into a community’s long-term growth and development plans.

The November public meeting is part of Phase Two of the Upper Cahaba Water Study Advisory and Technical Committees’ work. Phase Two involves developing the tools needed by the counties and municipalities throughout the watershed, including model ordinances, the Watershed Greenprint, education and outreach. The plan will be presented to the Consortium, which is made up of the governments and agencies funding the Study. Jefferson County Commissioner Bettye Fine Collins is the Consortium Chair.

“The coming together of this Consortium is an historic event because of the cooperation it represents among local governments and their commitment to protect the Upper Cahaba Watershed,” Commissioner Collins said. “The issues that affect the watershed are not limited to municipal or county boundaries. I believe it is one of the most important projects ever taken on by local governments.”

The Study (www.cahabastudy.com) is a major regional effort involving multiple governments, environmentalists, citizens and business representatives working to improve planning, design and management of development to better protect the river as the region grows and prospers. Completion date for the study is Spring 2005. The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPC) is coordinating the study.

The Consortium initiated the Study in 2002 because the Cahaba provides a wide variety of important resources for the region. The river basin covers portions of 20 Alabama cities and three counties, and is a primary source of drinking water. It is widely recognized for its biodiversity, including a number of threatened and endangered species, many of which are unique to the Cahaba. The recreational and educational opportunities provided by the river also are exceptional.

Phase One of the Study was completed in June, and involved producing a set of recommendations to guide the process of creating the Greenprint and other tools for the protection of the Watershed.

The Citizens Advisory Committee is made up of environmentalists, business representatives and area residents. It was formed in 2003 to hear and consider all public concerns and plan public involvement in the process. Co Chairs of the Committee are: Gayle England (Civic Co-Chair) Adam Snyder, (Environmental Co-Chair) and Chris Matthews, (Business Co-Chair). Citizens Advisory Committee members were appointed by the Consortium, Region 2020, and the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The Consortium is made up of the following participants: Jefferson and Shelby Counties, Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Trussville, Leeds, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Pelham, Irondale, and the Birmingham Water Works and Sewer Board.

For more information, please see the Study website or contact Jennifer Fairley at the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, 251-8139.