Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-21-2016 - 7-b - Mountains-to-Sea Trail – Master Plan for Segment 11 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 21, 2016 Action Agenda Item No. 7-b SUBJECT: Mountains-to-Sea Trail — Master Plan for Segment 11 DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No and Recreation (DEAPR) ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: MST Master Plan Segment Map David Stancil, 919-245-2510 Proposed Process / Timeline of Activity PURPOSE: To review a proposed process for the planning and identification/creation of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail "Segment 11," from Occoneechee Mountain to the Alamance County line. BACKGROUND: On November 18, 2015 representatives from the NC Division of Parks and Recreation presented the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) Statewide Master Plan to the Board. Responding to petitions from the Board and members of the public, staff was asked to return with a draft plan for addressing the MST in Orange County. The topic of the MST location in Orange County dates back a number of years. A regional planning process with State Parks ca 2005 began by identifying general corridors or "swaths" on maps where the trail might best connect Clingman's Dome on the North Carolina/Tennessee border in the west to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Some segments of the trail — mainly ones that exist in state or federal park or forest land — already exist. Other segments in urban areas have utilized city greenways as segments of the MST. One of the more-challenging segments, and the subject of trail planning efforts in the last five years, is the Eastern Piedmont Section from Bryan Park (north of Greensboro) to Falls Lake. Much of this identified corridor runs alongside river courses such as the Haw and Eno rivers, but a way to connect the Haw River corridor to the Eno (Neuse) requires bridging the two major river watersheds of the Cape Fear and the Neuse. Orange County, as a headwaters county, contains much of the boundary between the Neuse and Cape Fear, and this is the area where this "over-ridge" segment of the trail is needed. This portion of the MST is addressed and proposed for completion in both the Orange County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030 and the 2015-2020 Capital Investment Plan (CIP). 2 There are two segments in the MST Master Plan within Orange County. Segment 11 connects the Haw River in Alamance County to Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area southwest of Hillsborough. This segment is proposed to follow the Cane Creek corridor (including OWASA land around Cane Creek Reservoir) and connect to the Eno River at Occoneechee Mountain. This is the segment that must cross over the ridge between the Cape Fear and Neuse river basins. Segment 12 picks up the trail and runs east along Riverwalk in Hillsborough and other public trails on privately-owned conservation lands sites east of town, before entering Eno River State Park on its way to Durham County and Falls Lake. The trail location in Segment 12 between Hillsborough and Durham County is essentially identified and in some places the trail exists. Final efforts to connect the corridor are underway using the Eno River State Park master plan, and as such, no planning effort is needed for this segment. Segment 11, however, contains 7-10 miles of corridor and thus must either cross private land or (in the interim or long-term) utilize public road rights-of-way to connect Orange Water & Sewer Authority-owned lands at Cane Creek Reservoir to the County's Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve. There is also a smaller segment from Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve and the Moorefields historic site across Interstate 85 to Occoneechee Mountain that will need to be planned and built. Using previous discussion, staff has prepared the attached process and timeline to complete the work of locating, securing and building the trail for Segment 11. This plan proposes to begin with community meetings with identified stakeholders and members of the public invited to participate. The trail location or options would then be identified and mapped, with further public review and discussion planned before presenting the Segment 11 plan for Board approval. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The creation of the Segment 11 plan would involve time and resources on the part of staff and stakeholder groups to hold community meetings, prepare maps and trail cross-section designs and develop a plan. Staff from DEAPR will coordinate the trail segment plan effort, but assistance from Planning, the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Services and other departments will also be needed. There are funds in future years for both trail easement acquisition (via the Lands Legacy Program) and trail construction in the adopted CIP. The timing of these funds will be revisited as part of this spring's new CIP consideration as needed based on the Board's action. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following two Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this agenda item: • GOAL: ESTABLISH SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE LAND-USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes and educational levels with respect to the development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, policies, and decisions. Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies. 3 • GOAL: ENABLE FULL CIVIC PARTICIPATION Ensure that Orange County residents are able to engage government through voting and volunteering by eliminating disparities in participation and barriers to participation. The creation of this trail will enhance opportunities for all persons to engage in the environmental policies of a trail connecting different sections of the county. Residents would also be encouraged to participate in the civic dialogue that will help plan the trail. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report and provide input on the proposed plan for identifying, securing and building the MST Segment 11. 4 SEGMENT 11 : Southwest Orange County Planning Priority W` Description ® Mid-Term Long-Term Oo \ / From:Alamance County line jTo:Hillsborough(I-40/I-85 south of Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area) it ENO RIVER This segment runs from the Haw River Trail at the Alamance/Orange County line to Mebane I ' ei __ 11 12 the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area just near Hillsborough. The trail is Haw River . ill . „r,'° ,_ undeveloped with a considerable amount of public land available at the Orange �' Water and Sewer Authority(OWASA) and the Seven Mile Creek Preserve.4111 ' 1k�_ `t.0 _ •cconeechee • Stat: N• 0 Seven Mile..4. ■ Planning Strategies r' Z W Creek Preserve Q C7 ` , i-, • 85 The Orange County Parks and Recreation Master Plan(adopted November 2014) QZ / ' addresses the current status of the MST and the need for detailed alignment Ili 4 planning in Orange County.Current planning in Orange County is focused on < O completing gaps between Hillsborough and Durham County. Planning for the ite 0 , trail on OWASA property will occur in the future. OWASA OW Opportunities fi OWASA landholdings and Seven Mile Creek offer future route opportunities. / or Completion of this segment is an opportunity to connect Eno River State Park,the ,ti Hillsborough River Walk,Occoneechee Mountain,and Seven Mile Creek Preserve. k P Large Landholdings x Stream/River Corridors x Staff Resources t x Public Land Sidewalk/Bicycle Network Federal Property ' Local Planning Floodplain/Wetlands Abandoned RR ROW Challenges �4o) tee\ c Local planning is needed to identify the alignment between OWASA property \ * �l Chapel Hill and the Seven Mile Creek Preserve.How to best cross I-85/I-40 is another planning aye 54 �` y ' consideration. HAW RIVER `b Stream/River Crossings Coordinating Easments . Local Planning IF ,Carrborott 0 �� 7 x Detailed Alignment Urbanized Corridor Federal Property Miles t x Major Roadway Crossing Floodplain/Wetlands Legend MST Status IJ County Boundary Interstate Q Segment Details Potential Section Sponsors(s): •Constructed •Designated State Park NC Route ® Constructed Trails:None Orange County, Orange Water Planned Route (1/4 mi. buffer) = Open Space —US Route 0 Route Alignment:Cane Creek/ and Sewer Authority(OWASA) OWASA Additional Planning Stakeholders: 0 Adjacent Segment = Institutional Major Hydrography g Key Properties:OWASA Triangle Area RPO,Durham-Chapel Segment Start Municipal Boundary Proposed Trail Approximate Length:19 miles Bill-Carrboro MPO,Friends of the MST, and End Points � State Boundary —Other Trail DPR Designated Segments within Planning Segment:None 5 Proposed "MST Segment 11 " Planning Timetable Date Activity Notes January-February 2016 Staff work Prepare Mapping, Conduct Field Reconnaissance and Environmental Scan. Notify stakeholder groups and public of upcoming meeting. February Community Meeting Review background, available data and planned process February-March Staff, stakeholder Refine initial map based on community meeting. Meet with meetings stakeholders and stakeholder groups to identify issues. March Community Meeting Design charrette — break into small groups and identify trail location option(s). Identify infrastructure and resource needs for the MST. Identify resource opportunities (trail-building, other) April Staff work Develop narrative on amenities and infrastructure, public safety items, and complete draft map. Combine into Draft Segment 11 Master Plan (map and brief narrative). Late-April Community Meeting Present Segment 11 Master Plan. Receive comments and feedback. May BOCC Meeting Present Segment 11 Master Plan, with implementation plan, to BOCC for approval. Begin formal negotiations with NCDOT and OWASA for trail easements or authorization. June Budget and CIP Adjust funding needed to begin trail construction. Complete any approval needed negotiations. July Implementation Begin trail construction as per approved plan.