Walking the trails of Latta Nature Preserve in full fall color, Mecklenburg County Commissioner Elaine Powell can’t help but smile. She considers the park, alongside Mountain Island Lake, the perfect example of what county-owned land should be, a shared space for recreation, a natural buffer protecting the source of local drinking water and one of the few remaining areas of the county she can be sure won’t soon be covered in pavement.
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Over the past 15 years, Powell said she knew the county was growing and changing, but it wasn’t until she commissioned a series of maps from the county’s GIS specialists. Comparing the 2008 map to 2024, the evidence was undeniable. Mecklenburg County is quickly losing its green space.
“I don’t know if I was surprised but I’m thankful that it really is a visual impact that people are starting to pay attention to,” she said. “It really is a powerful tool.”…