http://cnr.ncsu.edu/blogs/news/2013/03/20/hofmann-forest-update-letter-from-natural-resources-foundation-board/

Discuss...

3/21/2013 5:18:17 PM

Its almost the size of Raleigh, why not just sell some of it?

3/21/2013 5:46:42 PM

What's to discuss? The CNR has a forest. CNR has determined it's better for their long term stability to try to sell it. Even if the forest is sold, the use will stay the same (working forest and teaching venue). I don't suppose anyone here has strong opinions on the CNR's finanical operations?

3/21/2013 6:20:05 PM

Remember when Burr and Liddy allowed a bombing range in the middle of a NWR?

3/21/2013 6:54:37 PM

I'm just gonna copy and paste the full text of the email I received below, but these articles cover the developments well - looks fairly fucked up at first glance.

Buyer created plan for development and giant farm on NCSU’s Hofmann Forest

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/14/3371051/buyer-apparently-has-plans-for.html

Update: NCSU claims it didn't know about Hofmann Forest documents showing planned development

http://www.indyweek.com/triangulator/archives/2013/11/13/leaked-hofmann-forest-documents-show-developed-planned-for-property

Quote :

" Dear Friends of Hofmann Forest, You probably heard the news that on Tuesday the Wake County Superior Court Judge denied our request for an injunction against the sale of Hofmann Forest. That was a tough loss, but it doesn't stop our case, it just means that there is a chance that NCSU could try to execute the sale while our lawsuit is still going on. Wednesday, however, our luck suddenly improved dramatically, when an anonymous tipster sent us a copy of the Hofmann LLC prospectus for potential investors. Hofmann LLC is the shell corp that the Walker Group organized to make the bid for Hofmann, and apparently this document is what they were using to look for additional money. You'll be blown away - by how right we all were to stand up and fight against this sale!!! You can also read about it on the News & Observer Website. http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/14/3371051/buyer-apparently-has-plans-for.html. There should be stories on the 6 o'clock news on WRAL and other media outlets in the coming days. Here's what they say is in the works for Hofmann: 1. 9000 acres to be developed along US 17, including over 8000 homes and 2 million square feet of office space 2. 45,000 acres of farms to be cleared within 10 years - on "virgin organic soils" 3. possibilities for major military installations, airfields, etc 4. possibilities for mining and dirt harvesting We think there is going to rightfully be a media firestorm over this discovery. And we need your help to make sure it gets the NCSU and CNR/NRF leadership shaking in their boots now that their lies have been fully exposed (see the list of lies made by NCSU, Watzin, et al. below). Three crucial things you can do: 1. Share this story about the prospectus on your own Facebook or other social media accounts, and email it directly to anyone who might share our concerns - include the link to the petition as well: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cnr-alumni-against-the-sale-of-the-hofmann-forest/ 2. Watch for news articles as they appear, and respond vigorously and often, via letters to the editor and online comments. For example, the News and Observer is using Facebook now for its online comments section, and they have had a few stories go viral - let's make this one of them!!! 3. Write or call the NCSU Board of Trustees directly and ask that the administrators involved in organizing and approving the Hofmann sale be held accountable for intentionally misleading all of us about the sale terms and about the future of Hofmann Forest - tell them (quite truthfully) this is a much, much bigger deal than the Mary Easley scandal of a few years ago. 4. Like Us On Facebook for instant updates! --> https://www.facebook.com/SaveHofmannForest You can find their emails and phone #'s here, contact as many as you can: http://www.northcarolina.edu/campus_profiles/trustees.php?institution_tag=INST_NCSU More on-the-ground protests may be in the works, so stay tuned. We can't let them get away with this, not now when we know what is truly at stake for Hofmann Forest. Thank you for all of the energy you can throw into stopping the sale, we couldn't do it without your help! Sincerely, Logan, Ron, and the rest of the Friends of the Hofmann team "

[Edited on November 14, 2013 at 8:47 PM. Reason : quote]

11/14/2013 8:46:44 PM

Quote :

"What's to discuss? The CNR has a forest. CNR has determined it's better for their long term stability to try to sell it. Even if the forest is sold, the use will stay the same (working forest and teaching venue). I don't suppose anyone here has strong opinions on the CNR's finanical operations"

want to modify this statement now?

http://www.wral.com/buyer-plans-to-develop-part-of-hofmann-forest/13112251/

[Edited on November 14, 2013 at 9:10 PM. Reason : .]

11/14/2013 9:09:42 PM

^dang

this ran yesterday: http://www.wral.com/judge-refused-to-block-ncsu-sale-of-research-forest/13106782/

commenters on wral cease to amaze me

Quote :

"This is a free country. You should be able to sell your property whenever you want to. - Danny22"

11/14/2013 9:24:01 PM

Quote :

"Opponents of the sale said they had warned the university that selling the forest would jeopardize its future. "The university leadership needs to be held accountable for letting this happen," said . "Either they're naive and incompetent, or they knew this was going on all along.""

11/14/2013 10:43:56 PM

McRory clearly dislikes higher ed, NCSUs budget has been cut pretty significantly, with ongoing cuts in the works, moves like this are only going to become more common until NC restores it's mandate for high quality affordable higher education.

This type of thing is what happens when budgets get cut for agencies that serve the public.

11/14/2013 11:57:27 PM

McRory clearly dislikes higher ed, NCSUs budget has been cut pretty significantly, with ongoing cuts in the works, moves like this are only going to become more common until NC restores it's mandate for high quality affordable higher education.

This type of thing is what happens when budgets get cut for agencies that serve the public.

11/14/2013 11:57:27 PM

If NCSU really cared what happened to the forest after its sale, it would have made an effort to place it in some type of permanent agricultural conservation district or restrictive covenants (I'm not familiar with the local zoning regs in that county though). I'm sick of public officials expressing shock, dismay, and complaint about the use and decisions of private landowners and developers after selling off a public asset (see every privatized toll road). Once you sell off a public asset, why would you expect the new private owners to be guided by anything other than their own financial interests?

While it sounds shady if the new owners had other plans in the works and misled officials prior to the sale, does it really make a difference if it happens five weeks, five months, or five years after the sale?

11/15/2013 7:06:38 AM

Can the university still back out of the deal? Why are they selling it, do they just need the cash or is it expensive to manage the land?

11/15/2013 7:30:26 AM

The University wants more money. Apparently, the forest generates about $2 million/year now I think... with the sale, it would rake in a whopping $6 million/year (honestly, a huge increase relative to current receipts, but pennies compared to the actual worth), meanwhile some fatcat millionaire is seeing hundreds of millions. Sweet deal, bro!

[Edited on November 15, 2013 at 8:47 AM. Reason : .]

11/15/2013 8:46:01 AM

I searched this on Google Maps, and it seems to already be nothing but farms. So I don't see what the problem is.

11/15/2013 9:19:38 AM

because the seller went from saying the use will be agri-business to now, a large commercial/residential development. which is not what anyone was told or lead to believe from the beginning.

It's in the middle of nowhere, north of Jacksonville. No one needs a shithole development in the middle of farmville, USA.

11/15/2013 9:27:43 AM

I kid...

I don't think it's actually a farm. I don't know the history. I'm just jesting at the point that a quick glance shows rather confusing property boundaries with would at face value cause an erroneous conclusion.

11/15/2013 9:55:04 AM

It is societies' job now to decry any type of development on large swaths of undeveloped land. Our ancestors should have never built on any of the forests or natural areas to create the cities and towns that exist today. What a bunch of inconsiderate assholes.

11/16/2013 7:52:47 PM

You're right. The comparison to the original colonists seems analogous. In this case, it's NC State receiving the pox-ridden blanket in exchange for valuable, pristine habitat all under the false pretense of sincerity.

[Edited on November 16, 2013 at 9:22 PM. Reason : .]

11/16/2013 9:21:04 PM

The satirical nature of my post fell upon deaf ears.

11/16/2013 10:44:39 PM

Satire may not translate very well over the interwebs. Sorry.

11/16/2013 10:51:54 PM

Quote :

"because the seller went from saying the use will be agri-business to now, a large commercial/residential development. "

Why are they going to build an 8,000 home subdivision way outside of Jacksonville? There's nothing out there, and the new Camp Lejeune base expansion isn't going to add anywhere close to that many new troops in need of new housing.

It seems kind of dumb for a school to physically own such a massive tract of timber. No other schools own a forest this big; I'm sure most schools lean on agreements with other landowners to use their timber tracts for teaching purposes. It seems like the real outrage is coming from NIMBYs that are whining about deforestation.

11/17/2013 10:55:34 AM

its a prospectus to get investments, it doesn't mean they will be developing a subdivision that big just that they could so give us your money

11/17/2013 1:51:48 PM

Quote :

"want to modify this statement now?"

I do.

11/18/2013 5:48:29 PM