Frequently Asked Questions

Camden County voters will vote on this question on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.

Shall the County of Camden, for the purpose of protecting and improving the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams, protecting drinking water sources, protecting natural areas from development, restoring natural areas, including wetlands that help prevent flooding, providing debt service for borrowing related to these purposes, and seeking matching funds, acquire, develop, and maintain land and increase the annual levy for the Camden County Open Space, Recreation, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund from two cents ($.02) to three cents ($.03) per One Hundred ($100) Dollars of total County equalized real property valuation, with full public disclosure of all spending and an annual public audit of the trust fund?

Explanatory Statement

A "YES" vote will permit Camden County to increase the existing Open Space Trust Fund annual levy from two cents to three cents per $100 of assessed real property value to acquire, develop, and maintain lands to:

• Protect and improve the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams, including the Cooper River;
• Protect drinking water sources;
• Protect natural areas from development;
• Restore natural areas, including wetlands that help prevent flooding; and
• Provide clean, accessible parks

The levy would cost the average homeowner in Camden County $1.83 per month. Moneys raised for the Open Space Trust Fund would only be used for water quality protection and improvement, park projects, and to finance loans for such projects. There would be full public disclosure of all Trust Fund spending. Every year there would be a public audit of all expenditures.

Revenue generated by this measure would help fund the Camden County Open Space, Recreation, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund, which was approved by voters in 1998 to preserve parks, natural areas, historic sites and farmland. This will help protect natural areas from development, restore natural areas, including wetlands, that help prevent flooding, and provide clean and accessible parks for Camden County residents.

The revenue would also help protect and improve the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams by implementing Camden County’s “A Clean Water Future” Water Quality, Infrastructure, and Recreation Master Plan, which would help fund green infrastructure, recreational lake restoration, sanitary sewer rehabilitation, combined sewer overflow reduction, sediment remediation and dredging. These measures help prevent untreated wastewater from escaping into Camden County’s groundwater, rivers and streams.

The revenue generated by this levy would only be used for water quality protection and improvement, park projects, and to finance loans for such projects. There will be full public disclosure of all Trust Fund spending and annual public audits of all expenditures.

The levy would increase taxes from 2 cents to 3 cents per $100 of assessed real property value, costing the average homeowner in Camden County $1.83 per month.

This measure will generate about $6 million a year for protecting and restoring natural areas from development, protecting and improving the quality of rivers, lakes and streams, and providing clean and accessible parks.

Camden County currently has the lowest open space levy in the region. Burlington County’s open space levy is currently 3.5 cents per $100 in real assessed property value, and Gloucester County’s is currently 4 cents. If this measure passes, Camden County’s open space, recreation, and water quality levy would be 3 cents per $100 in real assessed property value – still the lowest in the region.

Source: Camden County meeting minutes, July 16, 2026 (Commissioner Nash comments)

Trust for Public Land (TPL) works to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. TPL is leading a movement to bring high-quality green spaces to everyone because access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need, no matter where you live. Communities are stronger, healthier, and more connected when people are able to experience the joy that comes from being outside, engaging with nature and each other.