HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-19-2013 - 5f
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date:
February 19, 2013
Action Agenda
Item No.
5-f
SUBJECT:
Letter of Support for Durham County’s Recreational Trails Grant Application
DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)
Environment, Agriculture, No
Parks and Recreation
ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT:
Draft Letter of SupportDavid Stancil, 245-2510
Rich Shaw, 245-2514
Marabeth Carr, 245-2516
PURPOSE:
To consider sending a letter of support for Durham County’s application for agrant
from the NorthCarolina Recreational Trails Program for construction of facilities at the planned
Hollow Rock Access Area.
BACKGROUND:
The planned Hollow Rock Access Area is a 75-acre site located south of
Erwin Road near the intersection with Pickett Road. The property straddles the Orange-Durham
county line, and is comprised of multiple land parcels owned separately by Orange County,
Durham County, the Town of Chapel Hill and the Triangle Land Conservancy. New Hope Creek
forms the western boundary of the property.
In April 2010 the Board adopted a master plan for a planned multi-jurisdictional public park
located along New Hope Creek. The master plan was developed by a 13-member Hollow Rock
Master Plan Committee co-chaired by Commissioner Barry Jacobs and also including
Commissioner Alice Gordon and representatives from Orange County advisory boards. The
master plan was also adopted in 2009/10 by Durham County, the City of Durham, and the Town
of Chapel Hill.
Durham County has submitted an application tothe North Carolina Recreational Trails Program
for funding of the Hollow Rock trailhead parking and amenities.Durham requested $200,000 in
State funds, which would require $50,000 in matching funds. If awarded, the grant funds will
help fund essential elements of the master plan – specifically a parking lot and the construction
of four pedestrian bridges for trails located on portions of the Hollow Rock property owned by
Orange and Durham counties. The grant award will be announced by the State in August 2013.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with Orange County’s support of
the grant application.If the requested $200,000 in State grant funds were awarded, the
required $50,000 local matching funds would be provided by Durham County.
RECOMMENDATION(S):
The Manager recommends that the Board authorize the Chair to sign
the letter of support for Durham County’s grant application to the NC Recreational Trails
Program for construction of facilities at the planned Hollow Rock Access Area, and direct the
Clerk to the Board to submit the letter and also provide copies to Durham County and the Town
of Chapel Hill.
[Orange County BOCC Letterhead]
DRAFT
February 19, 2013
Darrell McBane
N.C. Trails Program Manager
NCDENR Division of Parks and Recreation
1615 Mail Services Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615
Dear Mr. McBane:
On behalf of Orange County, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the grant
application submitted to the NC Recreational Trails Program by Durham County for the Hollow
Rock Access Area.
The Hollow Rock area has long been designated as a future low-impact recreation and trail
access point on New Hope Creek, and connects to permanent open space owned by Orange
County and Durham County as part of the larger New Hope Creek Preserve.
In April 2010 the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the Hollow Rock Access
Area Master Plan. The master plan was developed in 2009 by a 13-member committee with
representatives from four partner jurisdictions (Chapel Hill, Orange County, Durham County and
City of Durham) with assistance from the Triangle Land Conservancy and others.
The grant funds will provide critical funding needed to construct essential elements from the
master plan, including a trail head parking area and small bridges over streams. Safe parking is
needed in order to open this popular area for public use.
The official opening of the Hollow Rock Access Area will be a major milestone in the
implementation of the New Hope Creek Corridor trail effort, which has been underway since the
1980s and has involved the combined efforts of Orange County, Durham County, the City of
Durham, the Town of Chapel Hill, the Triangle Land Conservancy, and many volunteers.
Thank you for your consideration of this important recreational trails project. If you have any
questions about Orange County’s involvement with this project, please contact David Stancil,
Director of the Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation at 919-245-2510.
Sincerely,
Barry Jacobs, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners