County to Buy Parkland Along Etowah River

About 47 acres along the Etowah River became the latest parkland acquisition by Cherokee County Tuesday night.

The county commissioners voted to buy the land, owned by six sisters, for $9,900 an acre. The sale also includes the county paying $4,600, or 50 percent of the taxes owed on the property, for a total of $469,900.

The money will come from a $90 million park bond that passed in 2008.  Following rapid growth in the county, Cherokee had fallen behind on recreation facilities, said Commissioner Harry Johnston, who represents the area where the park will be located.

Multiple projects are underway including several parks, an aquatic center and a soccer complex.

The new parkland along the river will likely be used as green space and practice fields. The property, to be called Burch Park after a relative of the current owners, is in a flood plain so nothing of substance can be built there, Johnston said.

The county’s main interest in the property besides additional practice space, is the hope that one day it will be part of a network of walking trails between several parks including the new Canton park, Johnston said.

A proper access road to the Burch Park property will hopefully be built within three years, said County Manager Jerry Cooper. 

That means that it will be five or six years before the green space is ready to open as a park, he said.

In other related business, Cooper announced that development group, Smithwick Partners L.L.C., has donated 91 acres of green space at State Route 20 and Highway 369, to the county.

The group will receive tax credits for the donation, Cooper said.