SOUTH MILLS — Camden has its work cut out for it developing an environmentally friendly "green" industrial park in the northern end of the county, researchers from the University of North Carolina told local officials on Thursday.

Other attempts to develop eco-friendly parks across the country have not panned out, the UNC officials said during a workshop with the Board of Commissioners and Board of Education at the new Dismal Swamp State Park.

In addition, Camden hasn't exactly been a development magnet in the past.

"The market for 50 years has been saying, 'There is no reason to locate in northern Camden, or really much of Camden at all,'" said Brent Lane, executive director of UNC's Center for Competitive Economies. That should be considered a "challenge" to developing any sort of industrial park, he said.

"It is one thing to sort of adapt, and help direct market forces in your favor," Lane said. "It is another one to completely overcome something the market is not doing."

But Camden does have assets in its favor, including the county's close proximity to the Hampton Roads area and its cluster industries, Lane and other UNC officials said. There is also Camden's recent designation as a 21st Century Community, which could attract grants to support a park, the university officials said.

Also working in Camden's favor is the fact that UNC officials have put together a team of researchers who are studying every aspect of the project, including financing, environmental issues, and business models.

UNC's Institute of the Environment is in fact overseeing the Camden green park study, which is being funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation.

David Salvesen, deputy director of UNC's Center for Sustainable Community Design, said graduate students from the university are studying green parks throughout the world as part of Camden's study.

"They found there are well over 100 (green parks) worldwide; we found 30 in China alone," he said. "Many of them, unfortunately, haven't done so well."

Salvesen said there was a flurry of activity in developing green parks in the mid-90s under the Clinton administration, when grants and technical assistance were made available.

"Quite a few of these started in the mid '90s, and they never made it," he said.

Salvesen said a green park could be defined and laid out in many ways. Businesses could build "green" or eco-friendly materials, or the park could be built in a smaller footprint to minimize pavement and stormwater runoff.

The businesses might produce or run on alternative energy, such as solar.

He said sustainable "eco industrial parks" have a clustering of green businesses that rely on each other.

"It could be set up so that one organization's waste becomes raw material or input for another organization," he said.

After listening to the researchers, Camden officials acknowledged they have challenges ahead.

"It's a challenge, but I think (the green park) can be reached, and that's why they are doing this feasibility study," Camden Commissioner Sandy Duckwall said. "When they are finished, then we'll know how much of a challenge it is."

Camden Commissioner Phil Faison said the first challenge is clear — providing water and sewer service in northern Camden.

"None of this happens without infrastructure being put in place," he said. "That is our biggest challenge right now in this county for economic development."

County Manager Randell Woodruff also acknowledged the challenges ahead.

"Nobody said it would be easy," he said. "I think we've got to work hand in hand with the Hampton Roads' business community, and the movers and shakers in Virginia, because this has got to have their support for this to work."

Richard Browner, a developer and land-planning consultant in Elizabeth City, said private companies that

provide services and products to the defense industry would be interested in a green park in north Camden if the infrastructure was in place.

He said there is dwindling space in industrial parks in the Hampton Roads area.

Camden School Superintendent Ron Melchiorre believes the UNC study could go a long way toward making the green park concept a reality. He also said it's important for school officials to be involved in the project.

"(The green park) may reflect some of the core studies that we offer at the high school in order to accommodate the jobs (in the park) that would help make this a success," he said.