UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Union County’s open spaces and farmland have long defined its identity — but with thousands of new residents moving in each year, local leaders say it’s time to find a balance between growth and preservation.

A special committee will soon unveil a draft Rural Land Use Plan aimed at protecting the area’s agricultural roots while managing development for the future to county leaders.

Balancing growth and preservation

Union County’s Long Range Planner Bjorn Hansen says the county adds about 5,000 new residents each year, and that growth is accelerating.

“A lot of people have owned their land for generations,” Hansen said. “They want to farm it, or sometimes sell a portion because that’s their retirement. We need to give them options without taking away the value of th

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