by Stephen R. Walston on 10/12/2020 7:30 AM
Category: Parks; WakeGOV Home Page
Residents are asked to share their thoughts to help develop a vision
and master plan for Kellam-Wyatt Farm—the newest member of the Wake
County Parks, Recreation and Open Space family.
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The History
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The three-generation family farm and woodland sanctuary is located off New
Bern Avenue between Raleigh and Knightdale. This 59-acre, lush property of
woods, lakes and trails has much to offer in natural beauty, wildlife habitat
and sustainable, educational agriculture.
In 2018, the Wake County Board of Commissioners accepted the donation of the farm from Susan Wyatt, her late husband, Robert (Bob)
Kellam, and his daughter, Leewyn Kellam. The property was donated with a
conservation easement, which means the land is legally limited to certain uses
that support conservation values such as open space, scenic views, habitat and
watershed protection, preservation of rural character and agricultural
production.
“As Wake County’s population
has skyrocketed, and fields and forests have been replaced with roofs and
pavement, our determination to preserve and share open space with future generations
has been reinforced,” Susan Wyatt said in April 2018. “We feel confident that
Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space will be an excellent steward for
the future of the farm.”
The Future
A public process is now underway to develop a Kellam-Wyatt Farm vision and
master plan that will protect the site’s natural and agricultural character
while allowing for public access, education and recreation.
With COVID-19 limiting how people can gather, the county is unable to hold
in-person community meetings to gather feedback. But residents are encouraged
to learn about the property and share their thoughts online or by phone.
Full details, including a visual tour and survey, are available in English and Spanish at wakegov.com/kellamwyatt. Residents without access to the
internet can call 919-856-6670 to request hard copies of materials and provide
feedback.
In the next phase of the planning process, the county will translate
initial ideas and feedback into a conceptual site plan. Another round of public
review will follow, and a refined master plan will be presented to the Wake
County Board of Commissioners for approval.
The county hopes to complete the master plan by early
spring, then move into design development and ultimately construction over the
next few years.
This press release was produced by the Wake County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.