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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-19-2017 - 7-a - Mountains to Sea Trail – Report on Segment 11 Trail Planning 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 19, 2017 Action Agenda Item No. 7-a SUBJECT: Mountains to Sea Trail — Report on Segment 11 Trail Planning DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Map — NC Mountains to Sea Trail David Stancil, 919-245-2522 Statewide Master Plan, Segment 11 Kim Livingston, 919-245-2514 OWASA Conditions and Materials Marabeth Carr, 919-245-2516 Memo — Segment 11 Trail Planning Map — Proposed MST Segment 11 Map — Proposed Occoneechee Mountain to Seven Mile Creek Section PURPOSE: To receive information regarding the results of community meetings, information gathering, and trail planning efforts undertaken to identify a route(s) for the "Segment 11" portion of the NC Mountains to Sea Trail (MST), from Hillsborough to Alamance County. BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) is a continuous off-road trail that will link Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the state's Outer Banks. The trail is part of the North Carolina State Parks system. At present over 650 miles of the roughly 1,000-mile trail route is open for use. In 2014, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation contracted with consultants to complete a statewide MST Master Plan. The statewide master plan, approved in 2015, includes an established corridor (or "swath") for the MST across the state, broken into defining segments. The plan includes information about each segment, prioritization and plans for further work along the MST, centralized web-based content about progress along the trail corridor, and a set of tools and guidelines to assist trail planning partners. One of the regions in the state where the trail corridor was in need of further identification is the Eastern Piedmont section, from Greensboro to Durham. Segments of the adopted MST corridor traverse Orange County, entering from southwestern Orange County at the Haw River or Alamance County line, and continuing northeast through lands owned by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority around Cane Creek Reservoir. The MST corridor continues northeast to the Orange County Upper Eno Nature Preserve (Seven Mile Creek) lands, before entering Hillsborough along the Town's Riverwalk and heading eastward into Eno River State Park and Durham. In the statewide master plan, these are defined as two segments — the section from Alamance County to Occoneechee Mountain at Hillsborough being "Segment 11", and the section from that point eastward to Durham County identified as "Segment 12". These segments are also reflected in the adopted Orange County Parks and Recreation 2030 Master Plan. 2 Segment 12 from Hillsborough to Durham County is almost exclusively contained within the Town of Hillsborough's Riverwalk and Eno River State Park, such that the eventual trail location is already identified. For that reason, Segment 12 was not addressed in this trail planning effort. However, the actual route for Segment 11 in the statewide master plan was not identified, and required refinement. Segment 11 presents challenges not present in most other segments of the MST corridor in the state, in that it crosses from the Cape Fear basin to the Neuse River basin, requiring a substantial section of trail route that does not have a natural feature to follow and goes "up and over" the ridge between the two basins. Recognizing the need to explore a refinement of the MST statewide master plan corridor "swath", the Board asked staff in the winter/spring of 2016 to pursue a process of identifying a route (or routes) for Segment 11 of the MST, including community meetings and information gathering and sharing. Between April 2016 and March 2017, information was gathered and presented for three community meetings about the MST on the planning for an identified route. As a part of this, a significant amount of information was shared and requested, some of which are provided as attachments to this agenda item. Concurrent with the County's planning process, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) considered the MST and conditions for use of OWASA land for the MST on two occasions in 2016, and on August 25, 2016, adopted a set of conditions for use in allowing the MST to traverse OWASA land near Cane Creek Reservoir. At the March 9, 2017 community meeting, a draft map was unveiled based on the discussions and planning that had occurred to date, showing a "Proposed Trail" location, two "Alternate Trails", and a new concept, a "Multi-Modal Trail". Consistent with prior and current Capital Investment Plans, a proposal to address the trail in sequential fashion was also shared, with the portion that would extend Hillsborough's Riverwalk from Occoneechee Mountain to the Seven Mile Creek Nature Park (Upper Eno Nature Preserve) as the first sub-segment to be addressed. Seven Mile Creek is projected to have a "waystation" or trail node that would provide for trail access, overnight camping for long-distance hikers and some level of convenience services. This segment approach is also consistent with the desires of the State Parks system, which prioritizes extension of existing segments (Riverwalk) over creating new freestanding segments of the trail. Additionally, State Parks has recently notified the County that the River Park portion of Riverwalk in Hillsborough has been formally accepted into the MST. In addition to community attendance and participation in meetings on Segment 11 planning, a staff working group was formed to help identify important components of the planned route. This group included representatives of the following departments and organizations: • OWASA • North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) • NC State Parks • NC Forest Service • Orange County Emergency Services • Orange County Sheriff's Office • Orange County Planning Department • Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation 3 Additionally, professional facilitator Andy Sachs from the Dispute Settlement Center was hired to facilitate and help plan for the meetings. Consultation and advice was also provided by the County Manager, County Attorney and Risk Manager. Staff will present the following information at the meeting for the Board's consideration and further direction: • The results of the Segment 11 MST planning process • The Proposed Segment 11 MST Trail Map (with alternates) • A proposed course of action for beginning to acquire trail easements and trail construction and infrastructure, beginning with extension southwest from Occoneechee Mountain. Consistent with the wishes of the OWASA Board, the planned next steps for the MST, once approved, will be communicated to the OWASA Board and staff. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with the receipt of this report. Funding for the planned first phase of MST trail easements, construction and associated equipment and appurtances was included in the FY 2016-17 budget as part of the County's Capital Investment Plan. Grants for trail easement acquisition will be applied for to lessen County costs, and MST needs are listed as a high priority for State grant programs such as the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Trail construction and maintenance is expected to include partnership with the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail organization. Allotments of funds for future sub-segments of the MST are scheduled in the County's Capital Investment Plan for FY 2019-20 and FY 2023-24 or beyond. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: While not inconsistent with the adopted Social Justice Goals, the MST Segment 11 project does not overtly address these goals. The MST would provide an inexpensive and accessible means of recreation for County residents. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report and provide direction to staff on next steps. 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C c w C a X (113,1 N q3 t �C Ili rJ& tt 9 IL V u.! _>.� ea ea tipire C% 11) 0 cal 2 I 1 0 0-1MIMMIN 8/ w 5/2'0 1 6 A �ic i l e i ( 2':1 ) hi e( Lo e (I( i i Co r71 i n " ` ITEM 4 AGENDA ITEM • Determine Whether the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) May Be Located on OWASA Property and If So, What Conditions Must Be Met PURPOSE • The purpose of this agenda item is for the OWASA Board of Directors to receive public comment and then discuss and determine whether the MST may be located on OWASA property, and if so, the conditions which must be met. BACKGROUND • The MST is a trail that will extend from the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. • In 2009, the Chair of the OWASA Board of Directors sent a letter to the Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners (BOCC)indicating that OWASA would allow the use of its property in the vicinity of Cane Creek Reservoir as long as three conditions were met: o There is no compromise of water quality in Cane Creek Reservoir o There is no expenditure of OWASA funds o Arrangements would be made to minimize any additional security risks associated with hikers using the property around the reservoir • The BOCC approved a planning corridor for the trail in April 2010 that crosses OWASA land near Cane Creek Reservoir. • Orange County staff are currently working with other groups and holding public meetings to transition the trail planning corridor to a proposed trail alignment(s). • While the 2009 letter from the OWASA Board of Directors to the BOCC supports the use of OWASA land for the MST, the three conditions are broad. Providing more detailed conditions to Orange County on the use of our land for the MST during their public engagement and trail planning process will help the County determine the feasibility of using OWASA's land and identify a proposed trail alignment(s). • On June 23, 2016, the OWASA Board of Directors received background information on the MST, received public comment on the proposed MST, and began discussing whether the MST may be located on OWASA property, and if so, what conditions must be met. ACTION REQUESTED • Determine whether the MST may be located on OWASA property, and if so, the conditions which must be met. If the Board of Directors concludes that conditions protective of the water supply and other considerations have been determined to their satisfaction, staff and Counsel recommends the Board adopt the draft resolution provided, subject to amendments by the Board of Directors. August 25, 2016 4.1 8 lOWASAI ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY A public, non-profit agency providing water, sewer and reclaimed water services to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community. MEMORANDUM TO: Board of Directors THROUGH: Ed Kerwin FROM: Ruth Rouse DATE: August 19, 2016 SUBJECT: Determine Whether the Mountains-to-Sea Trail May Be Located on OWASA Property and If So, What Conditions Must Be Met BACKGROUND The Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST)is a trail that will extend over 1000 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. Over half the planned trail has been completed to date. The MST is a part of the state parks system, but different sections of the trail are managed by various groups or local governments. Other background information on the MST can be found on the Friends of the MST website. THE MST IN ORANGE COUNTY In April 2010, the Orange County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) approved a wide trail corridor after working through the County's Intergovernmental Parks Work Group (Attachment 1). There are portions of the MST in Orange County that are completed and open for public use near the Town of Hillsborough. On November 18, 2015 representatives from the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation presented the MST Statewide Master Plan to the BOCC. At that meeting the BOCC requested county staff to develop a draft plan to address the MST in Orange County. County staff presented a proposed process to the BOCC at its January 21, 2016 meeting. The BOCC approved the planned process at the meeting. Based on that approved process, Orange County staff are currently working with other groups and holding public meetings to transition the trail planning corridor to a proposed trail alignment(s). Additional information including a list of frequently asked questions is located on the County's website. POTENTIAL TO USE OWASA LAND FOR PORTION OF MST Past Actions by OWASA Board of Directors A portion of the proposed MST corridor is located on OWASA-owned land near Cane Creek Reservoir, one of OWASA's drinking water supplies. In December 2009, the chair of the OWASA Board of Directors on behalf of the entire Board sent a letter to Chair of the BOCC 400 Jones Ferry Road Equal Opportunity Employer Voice(919) 968-4421 Carrboro, NC 27510-2001 Printed on Recycled Paper www.owaca.org 4.2 9 Determine Whether the Mountains-to-Sea Trail May Be Located on OWASA Property August 19, 2016 Page 2 (Attachment 2)indicating that OWASA would allow the use of its property in the vicinity of Cane Creek Reservoir as long as three conditions were met: o There is no compromise of water quality in Cane Creek Reservoir o There is no expenditure of OWASA funds o Arrangements would be made to minimize any additional security risks associated with hikers using the property around the reservoir On June 23, 2016, the OWASA Board of Directors received background information on the MST and the County's process to develop specific trail alignment(s). Staff presented draft conditions for the use of OWASA land for the MST if the Board of Directors determines that OWASA land may be used for the MST. Twenty-two members of the public provided comments to the OWASA Board of Directors at the meeting. The Board of Directors scheduled the next meeting to discuss the MST for August 25, 2016 and stated that they may make a decision regarding the use of OWASA land for the MST at that meeting. The Board of Directors requested staff to consider several other potential conditions for use of OWASA land for the MST, identify any recreational restrictions on our land based on its water supply status and agreements, identify other reservoirs with trails near them, and clarify the Board process for the MST. Existing Restrictions on the Use of OWASA Property The OWASA Board of Directors directed staff and General Counsel to identify any OWASA land in the proposed Orange County corridor where we have agreements that may preclude the use of given land for the MST. There are some parcels which could not be used and others which would require approval by another party before the parcel could be used. A summary of these lands is included in Attachment 3. Allowance for Recreation Around Cane Creek Reservoir North Carolina Administrative Code Subchapter 18C contains rules to protect water supply reservoirs. Section 1200 of the rule specifies that recreational activities on a lake must be approved by the Department of Environmental Quality or the Public Health Commission. OWASA applied for and received approval for fishing and boating at times and locations where we could control access. OWASA did not apply to allow swimming on the lake. The rules do not require that recreational trails near the lake receive approval. Trails Around Other Water Supply Reservoirs OWASA staff talked to other utilities in the Piedmont of North Carolina who have lakes with similar levels of protection (WS-II classification which is lower density development in the watershed; also included WS-III reservoirs which have low to moderate development density) as the Cane Creek Reservoir where trails are around the lake. The Cities of Greensboro and Burlington have portions of the MST around their water supplies. None of the utilities surveyed indicated any concerns regarding impacts to the watershed or water quality. One facility did note that they receive calls from trail users about trail maintenance which they need to forward on to their Parks and Recreation Department; trail maintenance on OWASA land would be handled by the County or its designee and trail signs could include contact information for trail maintenance issues. Another local government that uses a large multi-purpose reservoir for one of its main 4.3 10 Determine Whether the Mountains-to-Sea Trail May Be Located on OWASA Property August 19, 2016 Page 3 water supplies (Class WS-IV which is less protective)noted that they have problems with ATV traffic on a trail near one of its treatment plants (not near its water supply) and suggested that one condition should be that barriers be constructed at the County's expense if that becomes a problem. The following table summarizes the allowable uses for some water supply reservoirs in the Piedmont with trails that are not large, multi-purpose reservoirs with trails such as Falls Lake and Jordan Lake. Allowed Utility Lake Lake Classification2 Recreational Uses on Lake Stoney Creek Fishing, boating City of Burlington Reservoir WS-II (electric trolling motors only) Fishing, boating City of Burlington Lake Macintosh WS-IV (electric trolling motors only) Fishing, boating, City of Greensboro Lake Brandt WS-III stand-up paddle boarding City of Greensboro Lake Townsend WS-III Fishing, boating Fishing, boating City of Raleigh Lake Benson WS-III (electric trolling motors only) City of Raleigh (Town Smith Creek Fishing boating of Wake Forest) Reservoirs WS-II (electric trolling motors only) City of Raleigh gained control of Smith Creek Reservoir when they merged utilities with the Town of Wake Forest. However,City does not plan to use Smith Creek Reservoir as water supply in future,and plans to return it to Town of Wake Forest. Town may seek to reclassify the reservoir. 2 The Division of Water Resources classifies water supplies as WS-I,WS-II,WS-III,WS-IV,and WS-V with WS-1 having the highest level of protection and WS-V having the lowest. WS-I watersheds are undeveloped. WS-II watersheds are largely undeveloped;general permits(insignificant impacts)for wastewater discharges. WS-III waters have low to moderate development;general permits allowed as well as some small domestic wastewater discharges. WS-IV watersheds are moderately to highly developed; all classes of wastewater discharges permitted. Other Risks The County is evaluating the risks that members of the public raised at the June 23 Board of Directors meeting: fire risk, emergency response, safety, and insurance. County staff will be available at the August 25 Board of Directors meeting to provide a verbal summary of their 4.4 11 Determine Whether the Mountains-to-Sea Trail May Be Located on OWASA Property August 19, 2016 Page 4 research and evaluation to date. They plan on having experts at their next public meeting (currently targeted for September 2016) to address these concerns voiced by the public. Since OWASA's land management programs could impact fire risk, staff did look into this potential risk further by consulting with OWASA's forest management consultant Dave Halley with True North Forest Management Services, and Chris Hirni, the Orange County Forest Ranger. Fire risk or intensity of wildfire is a factor of weather and fuel levels. Since weather is not controllable, fire risk is usually moderated by reducing ground level fuel levels and creating fire breaks to stop the spread of fires. Unmanaged forests tend to have higher accumulation of ground level fuels and downed woody material, but managed stands, especially following a thinning or harvesting activity can also have high levels of ground fuels for several years following the activity. However, thinned stands are less prone to higher intensity fires because the thinning of overstocked stands lessens the risk of the fire getting into the crowns of trees. Many of the fire reduction activities on public lands is centered on thinning dense forest stands to reduce the risk of the fire climbing and reaching the tree tops and creating a crown fire. Controlled burns to reduce the accumulation of ground level fuels are also used to minimize fire risk. Accessibility can also impact fire risk. Access to unmanaged forests tends to be more limited; managed stands typically have better access since forest roads have been created to provide access for management activities. When asked whether the MST would increase the risk of fire, both responded yes, but only slightly. The response was based on an increased level of human activity which increases the risk of fire from human presence (smoking, camp fires), but both felt that day hikers would not pose a large threat. Mr. Hirni has been researching fires near trails, and said that while he assumed the risk would be higher, the data did not necessarily support that assumption. Mr. Halley stated that the risk of a wildfire was far greater from nearby residents burning brush or leaves, and the data Mr. Hirni had seemed to support that statement. Both agreed that Mount Mitchell Road and particularly the driveways off Mount Mitchell Road had accessibility issues, especially for large fire trucks to get down them and turn around. Wildfire suppression in that area would most likely be from smaller brush trucks with water tanks, bobcats with small water tanks, and the North Carolina Forest Service's fire suppression bulldozers and plows or other equipment for clearing a small firebreak. Mr. Hirni stated that a typical fire line(area cleared to prevent fire from spreading) is about three feet, and that they actually use very little water to contain fires in Orange County. Proposed Conditions for Use of OWASA Land for MST While the 2009 letter from the OWASA Board of Directors to the BOCC supports the use of OWASA land for the MST, the three conditions are broad. Thus, OWASA staff developed draft conditions to include portions of the MST on OWASA land for the Board of Directors to consider, and these were discussed at the June 23, 2016 Board of Directors meeting. After carefully considering public comment, feedback from Board members, and additional research, staff revised the set of conditions (Attachment 4). Also provided is a summary of items that individual Board members suggested on June 23 and whether those conditions were included in the list of conditions and staff's reasons for including or excluding them (Attachment 5). 4.5 12 Determine Whether the Mountains-to-Sea Trail May Be Located on OWASA Property August 19, 2016 Page 5 PATH FORWARD Attachment 6 contains the path forward to complete locating the MST on OWASA land. PUBLIC NOTICE A public notice of this Board meeting was mailed to over 100 landowners who have property adjacent to OWASA land near Cane Creek Reservoir on August 2, 2016. In addition, the notice was emailed to others who attended the June 23, 2016 Board of Directors meeting or have expressed interest in the MST or recreation on OWASA property. Finally, a news release was completed on August 11, 2016. To date, we have received comments from 28 residents (Attachment 7). STAFF RECOMMENDATION A natural trail for hiking only that is at least fifty (50) feet from Cane Creek Reservoir will have minimal impacts on water quality, and our property. The Conditions for Use of OWASA Land for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail further defines the general criteria outlined by the Board of Directors in its December 2009 letter to the BOCC to ensure potential risks are minimized. A well written interlocal agreement or other document which assigns specific responsibilities to the County or its designee,in addition to clear trail signage outlining the posted rules and appropriate contact information, will enhance adherence to these conditions and reduce OWASA's burden to enforce them. Staff and Counsel recommend that the Board adopt the Resolution Approving Conditions for Use of OWASA Land for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along with any amendments suggested by the Board(Attachment 8). gdim C > . Ruth C. Rouse, AICP Planning and Development Manager Attachments: 1: Map of the MST Planning Corridor in Orange County 2: Letter from Randy Kabrick, Chair of OWASA Board of Directors to Valarie Foushee, Chair of BOCC dated December 10, 2009 3: Existing Restrictions on the Use of OWASA Property 4: Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land near Cane Creek Reservoir 5: Individual Board Member Suggestions for Potential Conditions for Use of OWASA Land for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail 6: Proposed Process to Site the MST on OWASA Land 7: Public Comments Received Regarding MST on OWASA Land 8: Resolution Approving Conditions for Use of OWASA Land for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail 4.6 NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail Corridor ATTACHMENT 1 Orange County Section 1 y G. iI11u �; f 1 / - t 4 M RIVE ' ��,, t ' "- i z ChM 7'„ 4 - ,, , ,),f1 , , ,,, , 0.1 ,'n .,ff -/-'11( 1„ ,,111 ,,,-, -' p#,,,'2/ r(. 7/./i.d.,„„,,,,, ,„, » e/f) i, f 1, , --/ ' , ',,,, � � C1. 4 \ ,))) )-\ /- : „/ )eey„), ,,,, )0, - /,%//////////, f\--/ ',.,),,,f/1 ),/ ff-;)))f--, -/- ;,, )));”;; ' ' ),"'',//,,,,, )', ?..q)-fir/)) ''\"l'il/11//i rc e l .4 a lie i',0x)/91,f, " (�� / ✓/ iI /f,1 1r �' AM , k/ % ,..., ti, , 1• I , ,,8 :: , 141111111)'', iieff 4 C , !' I. ,R i � ' i/ J rclk FVI ' t \4 ".k' ' ''/''''''''''':---C,�2 / Ne Q" . • � /AJ �� :4 ' l Y% ��J �( (((( " � / ,Cane '-\,-/ / y ;/1� � j d7 f �iJ/ 1 Dry l. , '; �i/y" 1" `,,, ' � f ,1 1r I �4 I, 'ro!' ✓&U f " r o-' �--,.-- '‘,„ '",,'C'C. ',,,,,,, ,,''''',,J;,4‘,„:1',-;,,,/,'„,,'''.1,11'1'',',,,'„,' ,,,,-,/, y:,'", " ; i „„ ,„,,' '''\'-,, ' ,,' „,.rr',01,' ' ',, ,-, i - '" Ne'//''''' ,,- 1. f r \ CHAP"L HILL xk w I ,..w k � c w �.... CARR 0 e RB Q Q. Wb 4�aga n rcek X � i� �,m "/, F, ' } t - 21,', � "r. , a ''/''',..,,,,,'' ,,, , i ,A,. ',,,,, ,,, y , „ „.J.,,Iii , , ,,,„ ..) . ,,. „0.11;,/ . ,, , , j / '.,..7'ip ''''' '',„,;'-'' / 'lif' ., ''R" ' i '„'''') '-ivly,f Chat h oy"/ , / NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail(MST) MST Primary route 1 1 OWASA land MST Alternative route 111J111 1� Non-county parkland&open space 0 0.5 1 2 Miles Orange County parkland&open space i t t t i t t t i .. Linkage to town greenway system ' Other public land orange county , Proposed roadside alternative route 011111111111111111111 Reservoirs Dept°re"vronment '' Agr culture Parks and Recreation MMMMMMMM l Towns M Jones IT/GIS Division 6/20/2012 Major Streams 0C220K O Ig shomelg sprglland_ „p ...................... 4.7Streets reeourceimtnsea trl.mxa 14 ATTACHMENT 2 ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY OWASA A public, non-profit agency providing water, sewer and reclaimed water services to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community. December 10, 2009 Valarie Foushee, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners Post Office Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 SUBJECT: MOUNTAINS-TO-SEA TRAIL Dear Chair Foushee: I'm writing to express OWASA's support for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) initiative. We have met with Kate Dixon, Executive Director of the Friends of the MST, and we are confident that we can make the necessary arrangements that will allow use of OWASA's property in the vicinity of the Cane Creek Reservoir, consistent with our primary mission of providing safe and reliable drinking water for our customers. As such, conditional upon the Orange County Board of County Commissioner' approval of the initiative, our Board has directed OWASA staff to immediately begin working with Orange County Staff and the Friends of the MST to develop the necessary agreements and arrangements that will allow use of our property providing there is no compromise of water quality, no expenditure of OWASA funds and we are able to make the arrangements necessary to minimize any additional security risks associated with inviting hikers to use the property around the reservoir. Additionally, although it is not a condition of our support for the trail, OWASA has a long history of notifying and receiving feedback from the public before finalizing any changes to recreational activities at the Cane Creek Reservoir, and we are hopeful that the County's process would include some level of public involvement prior to finalizing the plans for the trail. We look forward to participating in this initiative and believe the MST will be a tremendous asset for all citizens of Orange County. Best regards, elliIPPriwilillW Randy Kabrick, P.E., Chair c: Mr. Frank Clifton, Manager, Orange County Mr. Roger L. Stancil, Manager, Town of Chapel Hill Mr. Steven Stewart, Manager, Town of Carrboro OWASA Board of Directors Ed Kerwin, Executive Director 400 Jones Ferry Road Equal Opportunity Employer Voice(919)968-4421 Carrboro,NC 27510-2001 Printed on Recycled Paper www.owasa.org 4.8 15 Attachment 3 Existing Restrictions on the Use of OWASA Property The following parcels located in Orange County's proposed corridor for the MST may have limitations on their use for the MST or require another party's approval before the land could be used: 1. Lands with Easements funded by Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) — Exhibit 1 is a map which identifies OWASA land near the proposed MST corridor that has easements on them which were funded by the CWMTF. (Note: OWASA also has conservation easements which were funded by CWMTF that are on private land. The use of these lands for the MST would be up to the private property owner and not OWASA). The easements on these lands protect 300 foot riparian buffers along streams. The CWMTF easements mention the use of trails, but do not clearly identify their allowance. Staff contacted CWMTF, and they indicated that they would allow trails, but would want to approve the final plans for the trail. They requested that best management practices be used in trail design, with an emphasis on constructing trails on contour, minimizing the number stream crossings, and maximizing trail distance from the buffered streams where possible. 2. Dean Heirs land —This parcel is shown in darker green (brighter green when viewed electronically) in Exhibit 1. The CWMTF provided funds to OWASA to purchase this parcel, but it was owned by three heirs to an estate. Two of the heirs sold their interest, but the third held their interest. Thus, OWASA only owns 2/3 interest in this tract. We have an agreement with the CWMTF to purchase the property when the owner is ready and to protect the 300 foot stream buffers on the property. The CWMTF would allow trails as a use, but the other owner would need to approve the use of the property for the MST. 3. Cane Creek/Mickey Subdivision —When Cane Creek Reservoir was built, OWASA entered into an agreement with the owners of Cane Creek Subdivision (also referred to as Mickey Subdivision in early documents) which allowed the landowners access to their properties along a road conveyed to OWASA under the agreement. The landowners and OWASA all share in the maintenance of the road as outlined in the agreement. One of the conditions of that agreement reads "OWASA hereby agrees and covenants that there will be no recreational access points with the land formerly or now referred to as the Mickey Subdivision...". Counsel has advised that while this agreement was intended to be for access to Cane Creek Reservoir, it would also preclude allowing the MST to use the lands included in the plat referenced in the road agreement. Exhibit 2 shows the OWASA and private land in the Cane Creek Subdivision; the MST could not use the land in this area. OWASA owns land on either side of the access road that is outside the platted Cane Creek Subdivision that could be used for the MST if allowed by the OWASA Board of Directors (note: one side of the road is the Dean heirs property described above). 4.9 ATTACHMENT 3 - EXH1 IT 1 Ja Legend s' <., Original Cane Creek Subdivision from Plat 30/87 �P�Ft�DG -� SVG Cane Creek Watershed Boundary 7 , CWMTF Easements on OWASA-Owned Lands s1f- OWASA/Dean Heirs Property FS� A/ THURaMINN/ R °.. OWASA-Owned Property / Cl z ca O 02 "ca a.A.� O / PO �P 6UCkyoii Rti OWASA/Dean Heirs Property -- D z m .. DA R YL"AN R v . 1 O O Oo MT MITC E6t-RD 0 6� O v :> iPO , ,,,,/,,,,,,..). YAM E F w ... / � 6,, O s`.., S?� � .0�� , Cane Creek �p O= ° m Watershed � SOS VA.y� / i I,Ni\ 0p Boundary TEER"RD FERN'"CR /,,, /1 F j0: �Fq ■T DR � �„ Reservoir . O� C SY co OQ- 6E ��.PNDREW S°RD li/ 41A,/ 9 i j Q �, YD S Ku '''''''""4,4, - C RE „ 2 �. Q , 'aW Q G ..m�'��NJ w N 437 ,4, a MINE LOOS viz A Z ct- 0/ _, o ,, Q - 0 iv 0 J U SHOCCOREE°RIDG, C9 FNBACH LN '0, OR ,C) HIL�.GP 0 0.5 1 O `� Miles 9�s6 ...t 4.10 17 ATTACHMENT 3 - EXHIBIT 2 W 7r74 n r� i �''7 A' '. �. ' M 1 "I LgLq :. Yy W -- ��`'332 ',''‘,1'...t;s4µ; '. 'x,'�,. , i" 6701 1. 'r I " ` ?:.101 I ,axw . X7,508/ '., �a� i 1 1 i er T " 1, " 6538 ' 1` .� �'•.a�" l 6429 or�Nl�� spa,, ,rn ,' F 6100 ii..'�� �IN�°' „„ �806- Y ��� \-' xyµ , ;x, 6100 _ ”�r r G Pfl II .,//11, 5 '4l` mA,.,' F;/,/111,./..; lYI», . '499''''.-1 YI 5 `5 I 1 11 I I1. w9 Legend s 1 Original Cane Creek Subdivision from Plat 30/87 � II I LI OWASA/Dean Heirs Property N . Private Properties in Cane Creek Subdivision 1 Mountains-To-Sea Trail Primary Corridor °' „ 1i,33 4 1 7J I.',' 1 I) OWASA-Owned Property DUI �l 0 500 1 000 iv y°t�dh�brswm:���r�„„ dL,=rii�r. QJk�` _. ..::'.. —', � +,��! '3 ,_...,.��gym.,.,-m ,,n ;�,� Feet 4.11 18 Attachment 4 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land Changes to this document that were made since the June 23, 2016 OWASA Board of Directors meeting are shown in underline for new text and strikethrough for deleted text Overview OWASA land and conservation easements on private land in the Cane Creek watershed were acquired for watershed protection purposes to ensure a safe and high-quality supply of water in the Cane Creek Reservoir, the primary source of drinking water for the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community. Any use of OWASA- owned land must be done in such a way as to not negatively impact OWASA's core mission of watershed protection and be fully consistent with all applicable policies and requirements regarding use of OWASA's assets and resources. Watershed Protection The conditions included in this section are intended to protect the water quality in Cane Creek Reservoir. The rationale behind some of these conditions is provided: • A protected 50 foot riparian buffer around streams and lakes is common. Cane Creek Reservoir is located within the Jordan Lake watershed, and rules to protect Jordan Lake include riparian buffer rules (15A NCAC 02B .0267). These rules do allow trails within 50 feet of a water body covered by the rule as long as there is no practicable alternative. • Rules governing the protection of public water supplies (15A NCAC 18C .1201) do not allow recreational activities on the water of certain reservoirs without the permission of the Commission for Public Health or the Department of Environmental Quality. Under the agreement between OWASA and the Commission for Public Health, OWASA may allow boating and fishing (with specific restrictions) on Cane Creek Reservoir, but swimming and wading are explicitly excluded. • One of the main causes of impairment of water quality nationally is from erosion and sedimentation. Allowing only a natural trail for hiking only; keeping the trail 50 feet from the lake; designing the trail to avoid streams, wetlands, and steep slopes when practicable; stabilizing slopes; constructing the trail during dry periods; and following best practices to 4.12 19 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 2 design, construct and maintain the trail will minimize the potential for sediment impacts to the reservoir. The following conditions will help protect Cane Creek Reservoir. 1. The trail shall be a natural trail for hiking only. 2. Hikers must stay on the trail. Leaving the trail is considered trespassing. 3. No swimming or wading permitted by humans or thcir pct5. 4. No pets allowed. Service animals to assist those with disabilities are permitted on a leash. i _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - . 5. There shall be signs on the trail where hikers enter OWASA land informing them of the trail use requirements. 6. The trail shall be no more than 3 feet wide and constructed of natural material (no impervious surfaces). 7. Trail planning, design, and construction should avoid removing large trees or rocks. Trees should be protected during construction. 8. The trail shall be at least fifty (50) feet from reservoir at normal pool elevation (500 feet). 9. There shall be no large motorized equipment used for trail construction. 10. The trail shall avoid wetlands and streams and where practicable, the trail shall be located fifty (50) feet from streams. When thcy wetlands and streams cannot be avoided, cross them in narrower places and bridge the wetland/stream. Materials for bridges shall not contain materials that could leach and impact water quality. Bridge design shall not cause any upstream drainage issues. 11. There shall be no bridge crossings over portions of the Cane Creek Reservoir (lake conditions at normal pool elevation of 500 feet). 12. The trail shall avoid steep slopes; where this is not feasible, the trail shall be constructed and maintained in a manner to prevent erosion. 13. Trail construction will not cause sediment runoff to Cane Creek Reservoir or tributaries. 14. Construction near streams and wetlands shall be completed during dry periods. 15. Slopes shall be stabilized as soon as reasonably possible. 4.13 20 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 3 16. Best management practices regarding watershed protection and fire prevention shall be followed for trail planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance. 17. Any trash and food scraps must be packed out. No littering. Minimize Risks from Trail Use The conditions included in this section are intended to minimize additional risks from having hikers on OWASA property. The Agreement OWASA has with the Commission for Public Health (see more details in Watershed Protection section above) also has clauses which pertain to fishing, boating, and hunting as summarized below: • Boating access is restricted to areas designated by OWASA, and thus the reservoir should not be accessed from areas other than from our public access location. This enables OWASA to inspect boats used on the reservoir to ensure they do not carry aquatic weeds, are clean and free of trash, meet US Coast Guard standards, and are in good physical condition for water worthiness and safety equipment. Only electric trolling motors are allowed, and must be secured to the boat in an approved manner with the battery secured in a battery box. • Fishing is restricted to boats launched at OWASA's public access point when it is open, designated areas on OWASA docks, and designated bank areas at OWASA's public access point. • No hunting or trapping is allowed on OWASA's land at the reservoir. While the agreement is focused on the use of the reservoir, the agreement specifies boats cannot be within 150 feet of the water supply intake structure. This condition minimizes risk to the water supply and potential safety issues. Similarly, not allowing the trail near the dam, spillway, and other structures minimizes risk to the structures and potential safety issues for the public. The agreement also states that the lake may only be open during daylight hours. Restricting use of the trail during daylight hours along with not allowing camping will minimize the risk from campfires. Prohibiting smoking minimizes the risk of a manmade forest fire as well. 4.14 21 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 4 In addition to the conditions in the agreement with the Commission with Public Health, there are other conditions staff believes are important for reducing risk. Establishing written procedures and training regarding rules, requirements and emergency management will enable OWASA and public safety officials and law enforcement to respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency. The potential for issues will be greatest at trail heads and parking areas. Thus, OWASA will not permit a trail head or parking area to be located on its property. Other conditions listed below will help prevent erosion and minimize the noise impacts from the trail for our neighbors. The following conditions apply to minimize risks from the MST on OWASA land. 1. The trail hours will be from dawn to dusk. 2. No fires. 3. No camping. 4. No picnic areas. 5. No use of alcohol. 6. No smoking. 7. No fishing. 8. No hunting. 9. No horseback riding. 10. No use of drones except as may be permitted in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration. 11. No boat launching. 12. No use of bicycles, motor bikes, ATVs or any other types of vehicles (barriers prohibiting such access may be required). 13. There shall be no access to the trail near the Cane Creek Reservoir Dam, spillway, or other OWASA facility/structure. 14. Trailheads and parking areas shall not be located on OWASA property. 15. Possession of weapons on these premises is prohibited, except by active law enforcement officers, or as may be allowed under a valid Concealed Carry Permit. The discharge of any firearm upon or into these premises is prohibited. 16. No threatening, assaultive, or abusive behavior or foul language. 4.15 22 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 5 17. Violation of any rule may result in legal action against the hiker(s). 18. Establish written procedures and training for enforcement of rules and requirements, emergency management including EMS, police, and fire for trail security and emergency response. General The general conditions also help protect Cane Creek Reservoir, minimize risks from hiking, minimize OWASA's costs, and reduce impacts to neighboring property owners. 1. The County or its designee shall obtain all necessary federal, state, and local permits. 2. Planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and monitoring of the MST on OWASA land shall be the responsibility of the County or its designee and must be done in compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements. OWASA shall have the right to review design and construction plans prior to commencement of work on its land, and to stop work it deems not in compliance with its approvals. 3. The exact location of the trail on OWASA property will be approved by OWASA and it may be altered by OWASA if necessary either pre- or post- construction. 4. Existing restrictions on OWASA's lands may require approvals from agencies with interest in the property or co-owners to allow MST uses. 5. OWASA retains the right to manage its land. 6. OWASA retains the right to close the trail for safety and security reasons. 7. OWASA seeks a Memorandum of Agreement, Interlocal Agreement, and/or trail easement which outlines terms and conditions of the trail on our property. OWASA reserves the right to revoke the agreement. 8. OWASA prefers that the trail be a minimum of fifty (50) feet inside our property boundary to provide some screening to our neighbors. If this is not feasible, the County shall work with the neighboring property owner to develop terms and conditions on use of the trail that will minimize potential impacts to the property owner protcct thcir intcrcst5. 4.16 23 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 6 9. The County shall secure easements from private land owners adjacent to the trail endpoints on OWASA land prior to opening the trail on OWASA land. 10. No unauthorized removal of natural or cultural resources. No Expenditure of OWASA funds This condition meets the third requirement of OWASA Board of Directors' December 2009 letter supporting the use of OWASA land for the MST. 1. Consistent with its obligations and requirements, OWASA will not spend any funds for trail planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, including the monitoring and enforcement of applicable requirements and regulations. 4.17 24 Attachment 5 Individual Board Member Suggestions for Potential Conditions for Use of OWASA Land for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1. Minimum distance from trail to residential dwellings —Staff talked to trail planners and searched the web but did not find any best practices for this metric or trail planning guides that included this metric. While such a condition may address some private property concerns, the distance would vary depending on the site conditions including the terrain and the amount and type of vegetation. In addition, local government ordinances typically include setbacks from property lines rather than structures since a neighboring landowner could build a new structure after a given use is permitted. Staff did not include another condition, but left the condition of recommending that the trail be 50 feet inside our property line when practicable. The County does require building setbacks, but there are no setback requirements for trails. The building setbacks in the Rural Agricultural zoning district which includes OWASA land are a minimum of 20 feet; if the trail is at least 50 feet inside our property line, it would be at least 70 feet from a dwelling unit. Staff did a quick GIS analysis of the distance between structures (did not know which were dwelling units) from the proposed trail using alignments proposed several years ago (used the shorter distance from trail marked by OWASA staff versus trail marked by County staff), and there were two structures that were closer than 70 feet near Apple Mill, but the trail alignment used for the analysis in that area crosses the existing dam structure and is unlikely. In addition, these distances were measured to a point where the proposed alignment was on public right-of-way and not on OWASA land. There was one other structure at the end of Thunder Mountain Road that was under 100 feet, but the County's proposed trail alignment in that area is over 400 feet from the structure. The County did a separate GIS analysis and provided a summary of the results. Based on data they had on private residences they noted that the shortest distance from their proposed MST route on OWASA land to a dwelling unit was over 300 feet. 2. We should better define what we mean by protect neighbors'interests when it is not feasible to locate the trail at least fifty (50)feet within our property boundaries. Staff revised this condition to read "OWASA prefers that the trail 4.18 25 Attachment 5 be a minimum of fifty (50) feet inside our property boundary to provide some screening to our neighbors. If this is not feasible, the County shall work with the neighboring property owner to develop terms and conditions on use of the trail that will minimize potential impacts to the property owner. 3. Include a condition to address fire management—There are conditions which prohibit camping, smoking, and building fires. Fires are most likely from natural causes such as lightning, but someone could cause a fire on or near the trail as they could currently. There is a condition which requires the development of an Emergency Response Plan that would address fires. 4. Consider not allowing pets or requiring that they be on a 6 foot leash —Since dogs do tend to want to seek out water, staff agrees that a condition along these lines should be included. We did include one that prohibits pets but does allow service animals. The requirements in 15A NCAC 18C .1207 (rules to protect public water supplies) require dogs to be at least 50 feet from the water; if the trail is a minimum of 50 feet from the water, there may be times where a longer leash would result in a violation of that requirement. 5. Consider a condition which has a minimum distance from trail heads and parking areas to the lake —Staff did not think this condition was necessary. Orange County's ordinances within the Cane Creek Reservoir were written to protect the reservoir from nonpoint source runoff pollution. 4.19 26 Attachment 6 OWASA staff proposes detailed conditions for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) to be located on OWASA property and related impacts for consideration by the OWASA Board. • OWASA Board receives and considers public input OWASA invites regarding the staff proposed detailed conditions public input that must be met for MST to be located on OWASA June 23, 2016 property. 4 OWASA Board determines the detailed conditions OWASA invites that must be met for MST to be located on OWASA public input property or the Board determines it will not be August 25, 2016 located on OWASA property. OWASA informs Orange County and stakeholders of its decisions. 4, If applicable, Orange County considers OWASA's MST conditions and determines if the MST is desired on OWASA property and, if so, the desired location of trail. Orange County informs OWASA. 4, OWASA Board receives and considers public input OWASA invites and determines if OWASA's conditions have been <— public input satisfactorily met. If so, Board intends to approve trail with conditions and location of the MST on OWASA property. If not, Board intends not to approve the trail. In this circumstance, County could evaluate alternative alignments and petition Board to reconsider if alignment on OWASA land is best alternative. OWASA informs Orange County and stakeholders of final decisions. 4.20 27 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land Near Cane Creek Reservoir Overview OWASA land and conservation easements on private land in the Cane Creek watershed were acquired for watershed protection purposes to ensure a safe and high-quality supply of water in the Cane Creek Reservoir, the primary source of drinking water for the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community. Any use of OWASA- owned land must be done in such a way as to not negatively impact OWASA's core mission of watershed protection and be fully consistent with all applicable policies and requirements regarding use of OWASA's assets and resources. Watershed Protection The conditions included in this section are intended to protect the water quality in Cane Creek Reservoir. The rationale behind some of these conditions is provided: • A protected 50 foot riparian buffer around streams and lakes is common. Cane Creek Reservoir is located within the Jordan Lake watershed, and rules to protect Jordan Lake include riparian buffer rules (15A NCAC 02B .0267). These rules do allow trails within 50 feet of a water body covered by the rule as long as there is no practicable alternative. • Rules governing the protection of public water supplies (15A NCAC 18C .1201) do not allow recreational activities on the water of certain reservoirs without the permission of the Commission for Public Health or the Department of Environmental Quality. Under the agreement between OWASA and the Commission for Public Health, OWASA may allow boating and fishing (with specific restrictions) on Cane Creek Reservoir, but swimming and wading are explicitly excluded. • One of the main causes of impairment of water quality nationally is from erosion and sedimentation. Allowing only a natural trail for hiking only; keeping the trail 50 feet from the lake; designing the trail to avoid streams, wetlands, and steep slopes when practicable; stabilizing slopes; 4.83 28 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 2 constructing the trail during dry periods; and following best practices to design, construct and maintain the trail will minimize the potential for sediment impacts to the reservoir. The following conditions will help protect Cane Creek Reservoir. 1. The trail shall be a natural trail for hiking only. 2. Hikers must stay on the trail. Leaving the trail is considered trespassing. 3. No swimming or wading permitted. 4. No pets allowed. Service animals to assist those with disabilities are permitted on a leash. 5. There shall be signs on the trail where hikers enter OWASA land informing them of the trail use requirements. 6. The trail shall be no more than 3 feet wide and constructed of natural material (no impervious surfaces). 7. Trail planning, design, and construction should avoid removing large trees or rocks. Trees should be protected during construction. 8. The trail shall be at least fifty (50) feet from reservoir at normal pool elevation (500 feet). 9. There shall be no large motorized equipment used for trail construction. 10. The trail shall avoid wetlands and streams and where practicable, the trail shall be located fifty (50) feet from streams. When wetlands and streams cannot be avoided, cross them in narrower places and bridge the wetland/stream. Materials for bridges shall not contain materials that could leach and impact water quality. Bridge design shall not cause any upstream drainage issues. 11. There shall be no bridge crossings over portions of the Cane Creek Reservoir (lake conditions at normal pool elevation of 500 feet). 12. The trail shall avoid steep slopes; where this is not feasible, the trail shall be constructed and maintained in a manner to prevent erosion. 13. Trail construction will not cause sediment runoff to Cane Creek Reservoir or tributaries. 14. Construction near streams and wetlands shall be completed during dry periods. 15. Slopes shall be stabilized as soon as reasonably possible. 4.84 29 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 3 16. Best management practices regarding watershed protection and fire prevention shall be followed for trail planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance. 17. Any trash and food scraps must be packed out. No littering. Minimize Risks from Trail Use The conditions included in this section are intended to minimize additional risks from having hikers on OWASA property. The Agreement OWASA has with the Commission for Public Health (see more details in Watershed Protection section above) also has clauses which pertain to fishing, boating, and hunting as summarized below: • Boating access is restricted to areas designated by OWASA, and thus the reservoir should not be accessed from areas other than from our public access location. This enables OWASA to inspect boats used on the reservoir to ensure they do not carry aquatic weeds, are clean and free of trash, meet US Coast Guard standards, and are in good physical condition for water worthiness and safety equipment. Only electric trolling motors are allowed, and must be secured to the boat in an approved manner with the battery secured in a battery box. • Fishing is restricted to boats launched at OWASA's public access point when it is open, designated areas on OWASA docks, and designated bank areas at OWASA's public access point. • No hunting or trapping is allowed on OWASA's land at the reservoir. While the agreement is focused on the use of the reservoir, the agreement specifies boats cannot be within 150 feet of the water supply intake structure. This condition minimizes risk to the water supply and potential safety issues. Similarly, not allowing the trail near the dam, spillway, and other structures minimizes risk to the structures and potential safety issues for the public. The agreement also states that the lake may only be open during daylight hours. Restricting use of the trail during daylight hours along with not allowing camping will minimize the risk from campfires. Prohibiting smoking minimizes the risk of a manmade forest fire as well. 4.85 30 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 4 In addition to the conditions in the agreement with the Commission with Public Health, there are other conditions staff believes are important for reducing risk. Establishing written procedures and training regarding rules, requirements and emergency management will enable OWASA and public safety officials and law enforcement to respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency. The potential for issues will be greatest at trail heads and parking areas. Thus, OWASA will not permit a trail head or parking area to be located on its property. Other conditions listed below will help prevent erosion and minimize the noise impacts from the trail for our neighbors. The following conditions apply to minimize risks from the MST on OWASA land. 1. The trail hours will be from dawn to dusk. 2. No fires. 3. No camping. 4. No picnic areas. 5. No use of alcohol. 6. No smoking. 7. No fishing. 8. No hunting. 9. No horseback riding. 10. No use of drones except as may be permitted in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration. 11. No boat launching. 12. No use of bicycles, motor bikes, ATVs or any other types of vehicles (barriers prohibiting such access may be required). 13. There shall be no access to the trail near the Cane Creek Reservoir Dam, spillway, or other OWASA facility/structure. 14. Trailheads and parking areas shall not be located on OWASA property. 15. Possession of weapons on these premises is prohibited, except by active law enforcement officers, or as may be allowed under a valid Concealed Carry Permit. The discharge of any firearm upon or into these premises is prohibited. 16. No threatening, assaultive, or abusive behavior or foul language. 4.86 31 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 5 17. Violation of any rule may result in legal action against the hiker(s). 18. Establish written procedures and training for enforcement of rules and requirements, emergency management including EMS, police, and fire for trail security and emergency response. General The general conditions also help protect Cane Creek Reservoir, minimize risks from hiking, minimize OWASA's costs, and reduce impacts to neighboring property owners. 1. The County or its designee shall obtain all necessary federal, state, and local permits. 2. Planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and monitoring of the MST on OWASA land shall be the responsibility of the County or its designee and must be done in compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements. OWASA shall have the right to review design and construction plans prior to commencement of work on its land, and to stop work it deems not in compliance with its approvals. 3. The exact location of the trail on OWASA property will be approved by OWASA and it may be altered by OWASA if necessary either pre- or post- construction. 4. Existing restrictions on OWASA's lands may require approvals from agencies with interest in the property or co-owners to allow MST uses. 5. OWASA retains the right to manage its land. 6. OWASA retains the right to close the trail for safety and security reasons. 7. OWASA seeks a Memorandum of Agreement, Interlocal Agreement, and/or trail easement which outlines terms and conditions of the trail on our property. OWASA reserves the right to revoke the agreement. 8. OWASA prefers that the trail be a minimum of fifty (50) feet inside our property boundary to provide some screening to our neighbors. If this is not feasible, the County shall work with the neighboring property owner to develop terms and conditions on use of the trail that will minimize potential impacts to the property owner. 4.87 32 Conditions for Mountains-to-Sea Trail on OWASA Land August 19, 2016 Page 6 9. The County shall secure easements from private land owners adjacent to the trail endpoints on OWASA land prior to opening the trail on OWASA land. 10. No unauthorized removal of natural or cultural resources. No Expenditure of OWASA funds This condition meets the third requirement of OWASA Board of Directors' December 2009 letter supporting the use of OWASA land for the MST. 1. Consistent with its obligations and requirements, OWASA will not spend any funds for trail planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, including the monitoring and enforcement of applicable requirements and regulations. 4.88 33 ORANGE COUNTY V\lP \IAC Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks Recreation MEMORANDUM To: Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager From: David Stancil, DEAPR Director Date: September 19, 2017 Re: Mountains to Sea Trail — Next Steps On September 19, the Board of Commissioners is scheduled to receive a report and plans developed over the past 12 months for the portion of the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) known as "Segment 11," which runs from Alamance County northeast to Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area just outside of Hillsborough. As a companion piece to the map and information provided in the agenda materials, this memo attempts to provide background context and outline possible next steps to refining, acquiring and constructing this segment of the MST in Orange County. 1. Background / Challenges Over the past 16 months, we have learned a great deal about the interests, desires, opportunities and concerns that County residents have about the MST in our community. As has been stated on a number of occasions, Orange County has a peculiar segment of this statewide trail in that it contains one of the very few stretches of proposed trail that 1) cannot follow a natural feature like a stream or a ridge, and 2) is not primarily on public land. The sub-segment of the trail from lower Buckhorn Road to the Seven Mile Creek (Upper Eno) Nature Preserve is one that must traverse a number of private landholdings and cross over the ridge between the Cape Fear and Neuse River basins. There are no publicly-owned lands in this stretch, and since it crosses an important (although not particularly visible) ridge line, there are no streams that can be followed up and over. 34 Additionally, as the County has worked with the Orange Water and Sewer Authority to determine the conditions needed to utilize OWASA's lands around the Cane Creek Reservoir, some residents have expressed worries about the introduction of hikers into backwoods areas of the County. However, at the same time, other residents have indicated excitement at the possibility for having such a trail feature available for their and the community's use. The unusual setting of this part of the MST is important, because the trail planning process of the last 16 months has worked to try and balance the many different perceived opportunities and challenges of siting the trail in such an area. By its very nature, the siting of the MST route has required considerable exploration of maps, roadways and the lands of southwestern Orange County. It is very different, for example, from park master planning. In that case, the boundaries of the park are known, and there are generally a set of desired facilities and amenities that can be developed and located. But siting a trail like the MST provides no fixed location — in fact the determination of possible routes is in itself the major part of the exercise. That lack of fixed guidance and boundaries creates a vacuum of sorts, and at times this made for challenges (for both residents and staff) in finding the right path for the MST. The County began a community meeting oriented process in April of 2016, with limited early success. For the remainder of the project, the introduction of a professional facilitator (Andy Sachs of the Dispute Settlement Center) helped bridge a number of communication gaps and the "vacuum" and lack of clarity this more ambiguous process was forced to start with. Another tool to help with this challenge was the creation of a "Frequently Asked Questions" or"FAQ" document which includes responses from experts in the legal, fire and public safety, and forestry fields among others (please see attached FAQ document). A timeline is provided in the materials that accompany this memo showing the three community meetings and other actions along the way that led to a March 2017 final community meeting and the proposed route that is reflected herein. 2. The Map of Proposed and Alternate Routes As noted above, this type of trail planning exercise was very different from most parks and open space master plans where the site is known and the question is about the location and type of facilities. In this case, it was the "site" itself that was the challenge. Using the statewide master plan and the comments at the community meetings (including the map-drawing station exercise on September 19, 2016), staff gathered this information along with maps and data in the winter and spring of 2017 and attempted to identify a preferred trail route. As may be quickly discerned, there are many possible routes that the MST could take to connect 2 35 from Occoneechee Mountain to the Alamance County line in the southwestern corner of the county. Staff's effort to identify the proposed Segment 11 route shown on the attached map focused on: • Staying as close as practical to the MST Master Plan corridor (swath) • Looking for natural features that the trail might follow, where possible • Trying to route the proposed trail on larger, undeveloped parcels of land, and staying away from existing homes —where this was possible, and • For the OWASA-owned land around Cane Creek, using the OWASA Board approved conditions to guide routing choices The result, which is shown as the "Proposed Trail" on the following map, may be described in narrative form as taking the following general route: • From Occoneechee Mountain, west along the edge of private properties and the 1-85/1-40 interchange to Dimmocks Mill Road • South on Dimmocks Mill Road, crossing over the bridge spanning 1-85/1-40 • West across private property into the Moorefields historic site and the County's future Seven Mile Creek Nature Park (part of the Upper Eno Preserve), and traveling through the nature preserve before existing south • South through a large undeveloped property and then across and on the edge of several other undeveloped parcels to Borland Road • From Borland Road, following the edge of private property and accessing County-owned land before following the western side of Cane Creek on private property heading south to Bradshaw Quarry Road • Crossing Bradshaw Quarry Road, the proposed trail continues along Cane Creek and enters OWASA-owned land near the northern tip of Cane Creek Reservoir • The proposed trail then follows previously-reconnoitered possible trail on OWASA land near the Cane Creek Reservoir, before heading west toward the northern part of Apple Mill Road • Crossing along the edge of private properties, the proposed route continues west and then runs for a segment on Bradshaw Quarry Road before re-entering OWASA-owned land along the southwest side of the reservoir and thence to NC 54, and • Finally, the proposed trail would continue west on NC 54 to the intersection at Oaks, and thence would cross NC 54 and continue along Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road to Alamance County (headed toward Saxaphahaw) 3 36 Proposed Mountains-to-Sea Trail(Segment 11) x; vofaA' 1',IJn ;, LI , , r ' It �, , t l/ / , /n ,, l i r a I i ° I J zA q, m f , , m I «u t `, ) .-/ T- 7 n IY u / R��.e xl � P'4'"Iimi ''''' Illifj1111111, 1 �I�JU t T l y)p Proposed Tian .V' Ill ll ( NV It d'.I Trail 7 "a. "'. Rrapasmd Trall Ait'd _ Prap©:red Trall AEk 2 Cart my parkland 8 open space 'my,kw J _ Non cawiu[y Parklaicd 8''port spec® ),°i y CWASA land r crxua i ,�, Gho$4ni,iitt R d6'wa Gsmnp&R 1rpat G®nhar i Vii..� q x ,. +am armor ,' o suoar. x j / N ,/:. neem, b A'x cp it 1Dp4 A There are two notable deviations from the MST statewide master plan corridor in this proposed trail route: • To avoid a very narrow and likely unworkable corridor near the Apple Mill Road dam, staff proposes to avoid the Apple Mill Road dam area by routing the trail further north and avoiding this potential obstacle. • Staff has concluded that continuing the proposed trail south of NC 54 along Cane Creek is not practical due to the distances and meanders of 4 37 the creek. Since Saxapahaw is a proposed MST "trail town," it was decided that making a direct road connection to Saxapahaw from NC 54 was a better approach. Following Cane Creek all the way to the Haw River would bring the MST well south of Saxapahaw, and while there is a Haw River Trail there which could be connected to, making such a connection seems overly difficult and complicated. There are also two alternate routes and one "multi-modal trail" shown on the proposed Segment 11 map. Alternate 1 takes a western course from the Seven Mile Creek (Upper Eno) Nature Preserve and would traverse County preserve land to reach Mount Willing Road. From there, this alternate would use Mount Willing Road and Camp Chestnut Ridge Road before rejoining the Proposed Trail. Alternate 2 (which is not mutually exclusive from Alternate 1), takes the MST west from the private properties north of Buckhorn Road and routes the trail through Camp Chestnut Ridge and into the OWASA Mitigation Tract west of Buckhorn Road, before heading south to rejoin the Proposed Trail where Cane Creek crosses Arthur Minnis Road. Finally, an idea was proposed in the community meetings for new and different approach called the "Multi-Modal Trail." This would involve a paved trail along a series of road rights-of-way that could serve hikers, bicycles and even in some areas, horseback riding. The multi-modal trail was sited along roads that were considered to have scenic attributes where possible, and would offer a roadway alternative that would connect from Lake Ben Johnson Road in Hillsborough to Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road. This trail alternative is more expansive than the MST standards and would serve a broader variety of transportation. It would also require a significant change of approach for NCDOT and NC State Parks, and may result in complicated road right-of-way drainage and safety considerations. However, it is an innovative alternative to the MST and one that was mentioned sufficiently to warrant inclusion here. 3. Area of Focus / Sequence of Planned Events The 17-mile length of the MST Segment 11 route through Orange County in its final form is a long-term effort that may take many years to complete. Many different landowners will need to agree to the trail, and easements will need to be secured across these properties for the six-foot wide natural surface trail. From a trail planning and trail usage standpoint, there is great priority placed on extending existing trails as opposed to creating new freestanding trail segments that may or may not connect to other trails for some period of time. Staff has confirmed with the N.C. Division of State Parks that their highest priority for the Segment 11 section of the MST in Orange County would be to start with 5 38 extending the Riverwalk in Hillsborough (part of the MST in Segment 12), to expand the length of that existing trail and offer a longer, more-challenging hiking experience for that route. Such an extension may also score highly on State grant funding criteria, proving financial assistance for the trail easements and implementation. In looking at the MST route(s) for Segment 11, taking this priority into consideration would see the Town's Riverwalk extended to Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area (using existing trails on that State Park property), and then connecting it to the planned Seven Mile Creek Nature Park, part of the Upper Eno Nature Preserve (please see map below). Proposed Mountams-to-Sea Traill(Segment 11)-Occoneechee Mtlu.Natural Area to Seven MIile Creek(Preserve L =. Est 1llJ r —:101,-.0513'I1�i nill �■' ii�1 r i' L... 7a +W w _memo--------,,, ,,,, r 16,411,110 c ,./i�II �� orecFORE �Fwyti �� 11� Ia a �°� � ji'� I�N ® ■ r e �,;• ' •-,. I x� �� =,,A 1 ,,,, L.,"../,,,,,,,:i,,,,-_, , :104.is: � �. r.irr iv 1 \ 400 ,_ 1, 11,1111_, ( . _ /, ip ... ......... .. '''''''L'''vx^ a SEMI MILE MEEK NERVE s �p e Is 4°F e w. Ili irtii'wuat 4 I , h .._+y- ?' m e ivor Y 'r I y I 1 Al .? I 111 . 1 , „..., ......,„..1 440- ,i. -11 i ' *10, :::7,....:-, m � r By focusing on this portion of Segment 11, four new miles of connected hiking trail would be added to the MST, extending the Riverwalk experience southwest into an area of important natural resource significance. The Upper Eno Nature Preserve and future Seven Mile Creek Nature Park is within or adjoins several hundred acres of contiguous natural lands, which include not one but two identified North Carolina Natural Heritage sites: • The Crabtree Creek Monadnock Ridge, and • The Seven Mile Creek Sugar Maple Bottom 6 39 These sites of regional and County significance have long been listed in the Inventory of Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitats for Orange County. The planned Nature Park and the trails that would be constructed for the park/preserve and the MST would not infringe on the conservation values of these resource lands, but operate along the edges of the identified Natural Heritage sites, offering an opportunity to experience the characteristics and visual beauty of the areas without damaging their inherent features that are being protected. Disincentive measures along the trail would be utilized to encourage hikers and persons exploring the area from wandering into sensitive areas. These approaches have been successful in other locales to protect sensitive natural areas while still allowing a level of public access. The County's adopted Capital Investment Plan also envisions this area as the first to receive attention for securing trail easements, other needed safety and signage features and building the section of the MST. The CIP and preliminary planning to date has also identified Seven Mile Creek as a good potential MST waystation or "trail node" — a location along the trail where there is limited parking, and an area for overnight camping with water and some level of convenience services present. This could include a well with water source tap, a fire ring, an area for camping, and possibly some type of restroom (whether portable or a composting toilet, to be determined). In this plan, Seven Mile Creek Nature Park would be a location whether persons could park and hike, or longer range hikers could stop and spend the night. Eventually, this would be a waystation/trail node along the full MST route, but in the short term it would become the southwestern terminus of the trail system headed southwest out of Hillsborough (or a beginning point for hikers headed east). As a part of the proposed next steps, staff is asking for the Board's authorization to begin negotiating trail easements (or trail land purchases, if that is the landowner desire) for the area from Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area to the County's Upper Eno Nature Preserve (Seven Mile Creek Nature Park). As may be noted on the map, the most significant challenge in this section of the trail is the crossing of Interstates 85 and 40. Two options for crossing these conjoined interstates (this is right before the point at which the two interstates split south and east) were identified: • The Seven Mile Creek and Crabtree Creek stream culverts under the interstates • Dimmocks Mill Road bridge over the interstates Both options have been explored and discussed with NCDOT staff. The length of the culverts, and the fact that both empty into wetlands on the north side of the interstate, make the culverts an unlikely solution. This leaves the Dimmocks Mill Road bridge. Staff is proposing to work with NCDOT to develop appropriate signage and pedestrian electronic signalization (if feasible) on both sides of the Dimmocks Mill Road bridge to aid in alerting motorists to the potential for hikers on the bridge. 7 40 4. Acquisition of Needed Trail Easements It is anticipated that a number of individual trail easements with private landowners will need to be acquired to make the MST Segment 11 possible in Orange County. In some cases, the trail may run along short sections of road right-of-way, although this is considered undesirable from both State Parks and NCDOT — and in fact, segments along roadways are not officially considered to be part of the MST, but rather temporary connections until a permanent off-road trail exists. Some landowners may also wish to sell land for trail location as opposed to conveying an easement. As has been noted on a number of occasions in the community meetings, Orange County plans to work only with willinq landowners in securinq the MST route. The County does not plan to use eminent domain to secure or acquire the trail route. How would the County acquire trail easements? It is important to note that acquiring trail easements must be done incrementally so as not to get too far out ahead with commitments to properties (and property owners) that may not be reached - or pan out - due to unforeseen circumstances. Generally, the process would start by contacting the owners of parcels along one segment of the trail, and begin meeting and negotiating with those landowners before moving forward to the next segment of the proposed trail. Trail route planning must remain fairly flexible, with at least two or three options available in case the preferred route is unattainable. In most cases, staff intends to contact three or four landowners at a time, and then meet with them either together as a group or separately if preferred. Staff will explain the proposed trail route, the purpose of the MST project, answer questions, and discuss the process of granting trail easements. Staff will provide model easement agreements and suggest a fair market value for the granting of an easement. In some cases, the landowner might prefer to sell a strip of land to the County rather than granting an easement. Others may request landscape buffers or perhaps a privacy fence. Again, if landowners do not wish the trail through their property, then staff will resort to alternative trail route(s). How would people access the trail? People will access (and exit) the trail via specially marked and managed access points along the trail. These access points (also called "trailheads" or"nodes") will be spaced roughly five to ten miles apart (closer in urban areas) and will provide parking and trail information. Each location will provide a trail map and rules for trail use; some locations may have drinking water and some kind of shelter or camping area (as described previously). Thus far there are formal MST access points in Eno River State Park, River Park (downtown Hillsborough), Gold Park (West Hillsborough), and Occoneechee Mountain State 8 41 Natural Area. As noted, another access point will be developed at Seven Mile Creek Nature Park (adjacent to historic Moorefields). Additional locations in southwestern Orange County will be identified and secured as the actual MST trail route is secured through that area. 5. Construction, Infrastructure and Signage In many ways, the actual trail construction is the simplest and most resource- laden of the facets of the MST project. Once the time comes for trail construction, it is expected that County Parks staff (which includes several certified Master Trail Builders) and the County's Landscape Architect and Land Conservation Manager will work with the many expert trail building resources of the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (FMST) to physically construct the natural surface trail. As the Segment 11 MST project continues over the next decade, certain locations and situations may call for special signage, or infrastructure needs to augment and support the trail. Examples of this might include the aforementioned pedestrian signage and alert system at the Dimmocks Mill Road interstate overpass, periodic signage along the trail itself, and signs at other road crossings and waystations or nodes. Although the proposed route attempts to avoid close proximity to homes, there may also be needs in certain locations for privacy fencing, landscaped berms or thickets, boardwalk sections and other improvements. Waystations, such as the planned node at Seven Mile Creek, might include infrastructure such as a well and water source, fire ring, restroom and limited parking. Many of these specific needs will not become apparent until the trail easements are completed and trail design is underway. Funding for the MST in the County Capital Investment Plan does include amounts for a projected level of infrastructure and signage need. 6. Other Actions In addition to adhering to plans and standards from State parks for the MST route and construction, other special conditions may arise along the trail route. One currently known special situation is the set of conditions adopted by the OWASA Board of Directors in August 2016. These conditions may be found as an attachment to these materials, and while this segment of the proposed trail would not be the first to be worked on under the proposed prioritization herein, 9 42 staff has begun to look at these conditions, and developed the Proposed Trail as shown on the map with these in mind. Consistent with the OWASA Board's action, the County's decisions about the MST and how to proceed with trail routing and construction will be shared with OWASA staff and the OWASA Board. If there is interest in pursuing the Multi-Modal Trail, discussions will be needed with NCDOT and NC State Parks, as well as local transportation staffs and advisory boards, as this is a different concept than the MST, as currently defined. For all of the trail segments, emergency action plans will need to be developed with the County's public safety entities for incidents that may require access to the trail and or a trail location system. No subsegment of the trail would be opened without a completed plan. Preliminary discussions about this have been held, but full action plans would be developed as different sub-segments of the trail come online. The eventual construction and opening of the MST in this part of the County will require constant and ongoing communication and coordination by a number of different agencies within and outside of County government. To help address this, an internal "MST Trail Operation and Management Team" is proposed to be established, to help provide long-term communication mechanisms and address emerging issues. 7. Conclusion The creation of Segment 11 of the MST will be a long-term effort that will ultimately yield an important component of this part of the North Carolina State Parks System. The MST will offer the opportunity for interaction, appreciation and engagement with nature and the many and varied natural resources of Orange County, as well as opportunities to recreate and offer an alternative mode of transportation. It is impossible at the outset to identify all of the opportunities and challenges that will be a result of the trail, and hopefully by taking a prioritized, incremental approach to securing the trail location and then the trail construction, the many stakeholders and interested parties in this State Park may work together toward a common goal that will provide a significant enhancement to the quality of life for County— and North Carolina — residents. The many notes, comments and documents that relate to the MST and the process of the last year are voluminous and have been treated in summary form in this memorandum. If additional information is needed or desired, please let me known and our staff will endeavor to provide what is needed. 10 43 I hope that this has provided relevant and important information as the Board of County Commissioners considers next steps for this planned initiative. Copies: Board of Commissioners Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Kim Livingston, Land Conservation Manager Dan Derby, Superintendent of Parks Marabeth Carr, Landscape Architect MST Staff Team Ruth Rouse, Planning and Development Manager, OWASA Smith Raynor, State Trails Planner, NC Division of State Parks Chuck Edwards, District Engineer, NC DOT 11 44 Timeline NC Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) Orange County Trail Planning Process 2005-2007 Planning and Map Sessions held for the "Eastern Piedmont Plan" of the MST December 2009 OWASA Board directed OWASA staff to work with Orange County and Friends of the MST to develop agreements and arrangements to allow use of OWASA property for MST, providing no compromise of water quality, no expenditure of OWASA funds, with minimal risk to reservoir and neighbors 2010 State Parks designated MST Corridor (swath) across the State (including Eastern Piedmont) October 2010 Orange County BOCC approves map with Eastern Piedmont Corridor (swath) through the County 2010—early 2012 Representatives from DEAPR, OWASA staff, and Friends of the MST (FMST) walk sections of OWASA Cane Creek Reservoir land to identify potential MST routes across OWASA-owned land February 2012 DEAPR staff holds public hike along potential trail corridor on OWASA-owned lands adjacent to Mt. Mitchell Rd community March 2012 DEAPR and FMST hold information meeting for the Thunder Mountain and Mt. Mitchell Road communities County holds "open house" to provide all partners and the general public August 2012 opportunity to learn about the MST through Orange County and neighboring counties and municipalities 2014 NC Division of State Parks (DSP) hires consultant to create Statewide MST Master Plan June 2015 Statewide MST Master Plan completed and released. Plan includes two segments in Orange County, Segment 11 (Alamance County to Occoneechee Mountain) and Segment 12 (Occoneechee Mountain to Durham County). Both segments are rated as short-term priorities. November 2015 NC DSP presents Statewide Master Plan to BOCC. Petition received from residents. Staff instructed to develop a plan to refine corridor and develop plan of action January 2016 Staff presents plan to refine Segment 11 corridor and construct trail, authorized to proceed with public process April 2016 Letter sent to all persons owning property that is within or touches the MST Segment 11 corridor announcing community meeting April 21, 2016 First Community Meeting — Overview of the MST and the Statewide Master Plan, Map and Information Stations (latter item not completed) May-July 2016 Staff and Manager discuss ways to proceed, hire facilitator June 23, 2016 OWASA Board considers MST on OWASA lands near Cane Creek Reservoir August 2016 Facilitator meetings with neighborhoods and community groups August 25, 2016 OWASA Board considers and approves conditions for MST on OWASA land September 19, 2016 Second Community Meeting — Info stations (6), info sharing, next steps October 2016— Staff takes comments, information and trail route maps from September February 2017 meeting and prepares draft plan and updated information and answers to new questions March 6, 2017 Third Community Meeting —Overview of next steps, prioritization, Q&A May—August 2017 Final maps & material prepared, notice of upcoming report sent September 19, 2017 Report to the Board of Commissioners 45 November 2016 NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail through Orange County trequently A Shoe' Quo iin ,u It :° What is the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail? The NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) is a 1,000-mile trail that will traverse the state from the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. Partners across the state are helping to plan and build the trail that will link communities and serve as the backbone of a growing system of land and water trails in North Carolina. In 2000 the NC General Assembly authorized the MST as a unit of the North Carolina Parks System. A map showing the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail across North Carolina is available at: http://www,orangecountync,gov/MST statewide map 0612 Status ,pdf How many miles of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail are finished? Over 600 miles of dedicated trail — well over half the planned length— has been completed to date and is open for hiking. A series of interim roadway connectors(bicycle routes and back roads) have been identified by the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail organization that knit together the completed sections of the MST across the state. Some examples of completed trail in this area include the following: • In Durham and Wake counties there are 77 miles of the trail along the Eno River and Falls Lake • Raleigh and Clayton completed a 33-mile Neuse River Greenway from Falls Lake Dam to Clayton • Alamance County has 15 miles of trail–including 8 miles from Glencoe to Town of Haw River • Hillsborough completed the 1.3-mile Riverwalk and Classical American Homes Preservation Trust extended the trail another 1.5 miles. A third bridge over the Eno River opened in July 2016. How was the planned MST trail corridor chosen? The NC Division of Parks and Recreation held stakeholder meetings in 2005-2007 to identify a suitable MST planning corridor through Alamance, Orange and Durham counties. Trail planners began by identifying existing trails on public lands and connected them to key natural areas across the region. The result of that effort was a MST Trail Planning Corridor sent to local governments for consideration. The Orange County Board of Commissioners endorsed the MST Planning Corridor in 2010 following a review by three of its advisory boards and the towns of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The planning corridor for southwestern Orange County(Segment 11) was part of the MST State Trail master plan that was developed in 2014-15 and released in July 2015. County staff are working in collaboration with the State Trails Program (NC Division of Parks and Recreation), Eno River State Park, the Town of Hillsborough, the Friends of Mountains-to-Sea Trail (FMST), Orange Water and Sewer Authority, and others to develop specific plans for the MST in Orange County—thereby transitioning the trail planning corridor to an actual "trail alignment." The initial focus is to determine the trail alignment through the County's Seven Mile Creek Preserve and linking the Preserve with Occoneechee Mountain and the Hillsborough Riverwalk. A secondary focus is working with the Orange Water and Sewer Authority(OWASA)to identify a potential trail alignment through OWASA's Cane Creek Reservoir lands, and then linking the Reservoir lands with the Alamance County section of the MST along the Haw River. 1 46 November 2016 Where will the Trail go through Orange County? The MST planning corridor through Orange County(from west to east) begins at the Haw River in the far southwest corner of the county, then parallels Cane Creek to the northeast through OWASA's Cane Creek Reservoir lands,then further northeast through the Seven Mile Creek Preserve and Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. From Occoneechee Mountain the trail will follow the Eno River along Hillsborough's Riverwalk and through land owned by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust and Eno River State Park into Durham County. The MST State Trail master plan identifies the portions of the planned trail through Orange County as Segment 11 and Segment 12. Maps of the MST planning corridor across Orange County are available at: http://www.orangecountync.gov/document center/DEAPR/MST thru Orange Co.pdf http://www.ncmountainstosea.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Seg 11 7-10-15.pdf http://www.ncmountainstosea.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Seg 12 7-10-15.pdf Are there any sections of the MST already completed and open in Orange County? Yes. Sections of the MST are open in Hillsborough along the Riverwalk and eastward to the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail. Another 1.5-mile section of the MST (although not yet formally designated) is completed east of the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail on private lands owned by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust. Further east of Hillsborough, there are designated sections of the MST open in Eno River State Park. Will the Trail be located on public or private property? Several initial sections of the MST in Orange County will be constructed on public land, including Eno River State Park, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough's Riverwalk, and Orange County's Seven Mile Creek Preserve. Other sections will be on privately-owned land where the owner has granted a trail easement. For example, a section of MST near Hillsborough was constructed on a trail easement granted by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust to State of North Carolina. What is OWASA's position regarding the use of the OWASA land for the MST? On August 25, 2016 the OWASA Board of Directors adopted a resolution approving conditions for use of the OWASA land for the MST. For more information see the following: (http://www.owasa.org/owasa-board-approves-conditions-for-mou ntai ns-to-sea-trai I-on-owasa-land-near-cane-creek-reservoir). Is it true that trail planners trespassed on private property while marking the future Trail? No. Trail planners have been very careful to stay off all private property unless invited by the landowners. Earlier, some people said they had found survey flagging on their property, but they have since agreed that the flagging was on the adjacent property or along their property boundary. If persons were on private lands for MST purposes, it was unauthorized and unknown to any of the MST partners. Will there be any condemnation (or"taking") of private land for the Trail? No. All lands for the future MST in Orange County will be acquired through voluntary means. Who will build the Trail? In Orange County,the MST will be planned, constructed, managed and maintained by partnerships involving local governments, land trusts, private landowners, local citizens, the NC Division of Parks and Recreation, and Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. 2 47 November 2016 Overall, the MST is an official part of the State Parks system; however due to its statewide expanse, many segments of the trail are managed by different agencies and local governments. Local communities help by linking the MST to greenways and urban trails. Land trusts and other groups help acquire land using a combination of public and private funds. The Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail provides volunteers, public support, and serves as a clearinghouse for trail information. How is the Trail marked? The mark(or"blaze") designating the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a white circle approximately three inches in diameter. This mark is sometimes used in conjunction with other blazes if trails overlap. What will I see as I walk the Trail? The MST will pass through a variety of landscapes in Orange County. Depending on the section of the trail, you may see rolling Piedmont farms, weathered tobacco barns,the Hillsborough historic district, a former textile village, country churches, flowing streams, hardwood and pine forests, and lake views. Who will use the Trail? Is for hikers only, or will it be open for biking and horseback riding? The MST is intended primarily for backcountry hiking, but the landowners or land management agency responsible for a particular section of trail decides on the types of allowed uses. The vast majority of the MST is natural surface trail with only a three-foot-wide tread and up to 6-8 feet of clearance through forested areas. In some places, the MST will pass through urban areas (including Hillsborough)where the trail is a paved greenway used by walkers, runners, cyclists, strollers, and people in wheelchairs. How will people access the Trail? There will be legal, managed access points along the trail, which will provide parking and trail information. Thus far there are formal access points in Eno River State Park and at River Park (downtown Hillsborough), Gold Park (West Hillsborough), and Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Another access point will be developed at Seven Mile Creek Preserve (adjacent to historic Moorefields). Additional locations in southwestern Orange County will be identified and secured as the actual trail route (MST"trail alignment") is determined through that area. Will the MST increase the risk of fire on abutting woods and structures? The consensus among the officials in charge of large forested properties in Orange and Durham counties is that that any increase in human activity increases the risk of fire, but their experience indicates fires rarely occur along designated, maintained trails located in our forested areas. According to Chris Hirni (Orange/Durham County Ranger, NC Forest Service)there have been few forest fires in areas with public trails, including Eno River State Park(31 miles of public trails), Duke Forest (36 miles of trails), and Orange County(15 miles of trails). Mr. Hirni researched the past 10 years of fire records and found that of the total 556 fires in Durham and Orange counties, only five fires were located in forests along or near trails, and all five were extinguished with help from the Forest Service. The Alamance County Ranger (Keith Walters) reports no increased incidence of fire as a result of new trails (including MST) in his county. Similarly, the Asheville District 1 Ranger(Rob Townley) reports no human-caused incidents of fire along the MST during his eight years with the Forest Service. In many cases, establishing trails in forested areas can actually help with firefighting by enabling access to areas that might otherwise be inaccessible. Firefighters can enter the forest using all-terrain vehicles. 3 48 November 2016 How would trail users be rescued if injured? An emergency preparedness plan must be in place prior to opening any new section of the MST in Orange County. That plan identifies the locations where emergency vehicles (large or small) could access various locations along the trail. Orange County Emergency Services staff is confident they have the resources to help people most anywhere in the county, including hikers in remote areas. They recommend installing markers along the MST and other public park trails (every 1/10th mile) so visitors can keep track of their location and report their location if lost or injured along the trail. Those markers are assigned an "address" identified by the 911 Center with high-level accuracy for emergency response. Will the MST increase the risk of trespass, theft, or assault for nearby property owners? The Orange County Sheriff's Office reports that incidents of crime associated with trails is rare in Orange County. Most crimes associated with public trails occur at trailhead parking areas and not along the trails or on neighboring properties. Unattended cars are the most likely target for break-ins and theft, and that is where site managers and the Sheriff's Office will focus their attention. Trail users will be encouraged to eliminate opportunities for theft by leaving valuables at home and locking vehicles parked at trailheads. Signs will recommend best practices for thwarting theft from parked cars. Park ranger Christopher Greiner reports there is little crime on the 8.2 miles of the MST in Eno River State Park.The worst problem is complaints of dogs off leash and some dog owners being rude to hikers that complained about their dogs off leash. The biggest area of law breaking/crime at the Park is the Eno Quarry(Durham County) where they have had several larcenies and car break-ins at parking areas. Some individuals have taken advantage of park visitors that swim in the quarry but leave their backpacks and wallets/purses unattended. Mr. Greiner believes that criminal activity is not because of the MST. Who is responsible for enforcing against unauthorized activities on the trail, in parking areas, and off the trail in the nearby wooded areas (e.g., camping, parties)? The Orange County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office is also an active participant in planning for the MST in Orange County. The County may also hire Trails Rangers in the future to assist with this role. Who is responsible for enforcing against illegal parking? The Orange County Sheriff Office.The Sheriff's Office will make routine patrols of the MST parking/ access areas and will respond to residents' calls when they see illegally parked cars. The County will work closely with the Sheriff's Office to monitor the situation and take further steps to reduce the incidence of illegal parking, including posting additional signage or re-routing the trail as needed. Who is responsible for trail and parking area sanitation, maintenance, and upkeep? County staff(or a future contracted or designated entity working under agreement with Orange County) will be responsible for these duties at the designated parking/access areas and along the trail. MST volunteers will also provide regular oversight and trail maintenance. What are the risks to homeowners of being sued by injured trail users and trespassers? State law specifically limits the liability of people who open their property to public use for hiking trails through NCGS 143B, Article II, Part 34. This is a limitation of liability but not an elimination of liability. The manager/operator of the trail must take reasonable measures to assure that it is safe for the public to walk the trail. If a landowner grants the County a trail easement across private property the County would assume some level of liability as the operator/manager of the trail. To explore this further and determine how the law applies to a particular property individuals should consult their own attorney. 4 49 November 2016 Generally, landowners are protected by the law as long as they avoid willful or wanton injury to anyone who trespasses on their property. It is strongly recommended that landowners post their boundaries and do not entice people to enter their property. The County will also post boundary signs along its trail easements. Orange County staff will work with individual landowners to help them understand the general ways in which they might manage risks, but landowners should consult with an attorney to receive advice specific to their unique situation. [This document does not purport to offer legal advice.] The NC Cooperative Extension provides excellent information on this subject: bttp://content.ces.ncsu.edu/land-ownership-liability-and-the-law-ire-north-caroling The following statement is an example of the guidance found in that document: "The law provides the least amount of protection to a trespasser, that is, someone who enters the premises of another without permission or any other right to be there. To avoid liability, the law requires only that the landowner avoid willful or wanton injury to the trespasser." Will people who own land along or near the MST need additional insurance? Landowners abutting the public trail may not need additional insurance except in unusual cases where the trail might be located in close proximity to a private residence or in view of a landowner's personal property. In those cases the landowner might choose to increase his/her limits for personal liability. According to the NC Department of Insurance (Consumer Affairs Property and Casualty Office)the presence of a pedestrian trail on a neighboring property would not be a "rating factor" or"premium- bearing factor" for homeowners' insurance, and would be unlikely to cause a rate increase. If a property owner had a large number of claims, of if there were a number of bodily-injury claims, then the insurance company might reassess the risk and increase the rate or choose to no longer insure the property. Staff at the NC Department of Insurance are not aware of any cases where the presence of a nearby trail has resulted in a scenario where rates were increased. Each policy and insurance company is different, so for information specific to one's property landowners should contact their insurance agent and/or the corporate office of their insurance company. The corporate office is likely to have a more-complete response to the level of risk for such matters, and agents will typically follow the corporate office opinion on these matters. Nevertheless, some local agents may suggest raising the limits on a homeowner's personal liability to improve their protection. Landowners may be protected by the law as long as they avoid willful or wanton injury to anyone who trespasses on their property. It is strongly recommended that landowners post the boundaries of their property and do not entice people to enter their property. Landowners should consult with an attorney to receive advice specific to their unique situation. Will Orange County indemnify landowners if a trespasser got hurt on their land? Orange County cannot indemnify a property owner against liability that may arise from someone wandering off of a hiking trail onto the property owner's land. Nor can the County assume an individual property owner's liability as it relates to someone who may wander off a trail onto the owner's land. Landowners are protected by the law as long as they avoid willful or wanton injury to a trespasser. It is strongly recommended that landowners post their boundaries and do not entice people to enter their property. Landowners should consult an attorney for advice specific to their unique situation. 5 50 November 2016 How can I learn more about the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Orange County and across the state? • Orange County Dept. of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation Land Conservation Manager 919-245-2510 http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/deapr/mountains to sea trail.php • N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation–State Trails Program Smith Raynor, State Trails Specialist <smith.raynor @ncparks.gov>or 919-707-9305 www.ncparks.gov • Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Kate Dixon, Executive Director <kdixon@ncmst.org>or 919-698-9024 http://www.ncrnst.org/ How can I find the Trail? For information on the NC Mountains-To-Sea State Trail, please see the NC Division of Parks and Recreation website at www.ncparks.gov or http://www.ncmountainstosea.org/ The Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail website (http://www.ncrost.org/) has general descriptions of trail sections with mileage and information about available guidebooks. When will the entire Mountains-to-Sea Trail be completed? The NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail remains a work in progress. With the help of more volunteers, the pace of progress has picked up in recent years. Since 2008, 195 new miles of trail have opened on the MST. Land along some sections of the trail corridor remains privately owned, and acquisition or easements will be needed to extend the trail. The goal is a 1,000-mile trail from Clingmans Dome to Jockey's Ridge. How can I get involved? • You can volunteer to build trail by contacting the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at http://www.ncrost.org/or contact the Land Conservation Manager with Orange County DEAPR at 919-245-2510. • You can sign up for the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (FMST) e-mail newsletter to keep informed of progress and opportunities to get involved. You can also become a member of the FMST—a non-profit organization that promotes the trail, coordinates trail building activities and serves as a clearinghouse for information. 6 51 November 2016 Sample photos from along the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, -A . , '., 1, Li, E.,.... ...., ,,,;.,.._,,,::..,4:::f.,er,,,f.,:. .,:),- . c ..„:-..,:„.", ..._ __,.. ,, ,,) . , 1 i 4) . : :i ',„ fp . _ . ,,,t, --,.. ,....., ,,,,i.›.-4.- , -4 .2 :- , ,..,,,,,_, t7. !. ∎ / • Miranda Knox Sharon Meeker x J 1%' ' rI'YF �' 7••Iy '� d h. h 4 lr TT" _ `- t , --- _i JF. -�� ' y1' -�� y If!, i %',. 4 gd'IS Yµ"'+ ra.Y,..4,, Syr^ .}� ,, , . -."1'.4 1j +f v 1 4_ t e� 4 4 r _ Dan Closter James Marquardt-Leach I;! '` q' 't fir. ; i: TM4 } ! 'vC a ` J '" L � . ., * x " /k, -. f , ' . .1 x s _ ys � •Y 1„ ! l ti. 41CN Rich Shaw Rich Shaw 7 52 Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) — Segment 11 Master Plan Project Community Meeting #3 —Agenda March 6, 2017 7:00 —9:30 pm Richard E. Whitted Meeting Facility Room 230 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 7:00 Convene • Welcome by facilitator • Facilitator orients the assembly: provides overview of his role for the evening, the desired outcomes, agenda, and forum guidelines. 7:20 Interactive Time with County Staff County staff will present an overview of current thinking, including what was learned at and since the last community meeting; plans for presenting a report to the Board of Commissioners; with a focus tonight on four topics. • Brief presentation by staff • General Q&A with attendees before getting into four topics. Facilitation as needed. 7:35 Topic 1 - Prioritizing Occoneechee Mountain to Seven Mile Creek Preserve • Brief presentation by staff • General Q&A on the briefing with attendees. 8:00 Topic 2 - Alternative Concepts for Future SW Orange County Segments • Brief presentation by staff • General Q&A on the briefing with attendees. 8:30 Topic 3 - Landowner Voluntary Participation (instead of eminent domain) • Brief presentation by staff • General Q&A on the briefing with attendees. 8:50 Topic 4 - Signage, Trail Monitoring, Safety Measures, Other Operational Details • Brief presentation by staff • General Q&A on the briefing with attendees. 9:10 Wrap Up • Facilitator solicits any further questions from attendees. Staff responses. • Final remarks (Where the MST planning process goes from here) 9:30 Adjourn 53 Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) Community Meeting March 6, 2017 Summary Information on Identified Topical Areas ("Topics 1-4"as shown on the meeting agenda) Topic 1 — Prioritizing MST Activity (Occoneechee Mountain to Seven Mile Creek Nature Park) Staff intends to propose in the spring of 2017 to the Board of County Commissioners a two-year effort to focus on the section of the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) from Occoneechee Mountain on the edge of Hillsborough to the County's future Seven Mile Creek Nature Park (part of the Upper Eno Nature Preserve). There are several reasons for this proposed focus: • It extends an existing segment of the MST, which coincides with the popular Town of Hillsborough Riverwalk. • It is consistent with the approach preferred by NC State Parks, which is to extend existing segments of the trail rather than construct new freestanding segments. Funding was appropriated by the Board of County Commissioners in FY 2016-17 for acquisition of trail easements and infrastructure improvements between these two locations. • This segment includes a smaller number of potential landowners with which to negotiate trail easements, some of whom already are familiar with the potential route and the MST. Topic 2 — Alternative Concepts for the MST in SW Orange County In the previous community meetings and in other venues and discussions, the potential for multiple concepts and routes for the "Segment 11" of the MST from Hillsborough to the Alamance County line have been shared. One of the stations at the September community meeting was "Trail Corridor and Alternate Routes." In this station, meeting participants were encouraged to ask questions, discuss and write down ideas, and draw trail routes on a series of maps. Staff indicated at that time that they would take the idea sheets and map sheets and use these to produce a more-refined map for the next meeting. The attached maps (Maps 1-3) are the product of that effort and previous trail planning (including the Statewide MST Master Plan). The following is a brief summary of these maps: Map 1 — This map shows the MST region, from the existing Town of Hillsborough Riverwalk to the Alamance County line. The map reflects four refined routes from the prior meetings and the September map-drawing exercise: 54 a) "Proposed Trail" — This line begins at the end of the Hillsborough Riverwalk, and works generally within the previously-identified "swath" from the Statewide MST Master Plan — modified with ideas along that route provided at the meeting and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority's approved conditions — to reflect a route for the MST that would correspond to the expected corridor shown in the Statewide Master Plan. Staff will speak to this in more detail at the meeting. However, it is important to note that this route has two significant deviations from the corridor swath: 1) the route would swing north away from the middle section of Cane Creek Reservoir onto other OWASA lands or private properties away from the "bottleneck" in the Apple Mill Road area; and 2) the route proposes to use NC 54 and Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road to connect to Saxapahaw, rather than continuing down the two miles of Cane Creek to the Haw River south of Saxapahaw. b) "Proposed Trail Alternate 1" — The main difference in this alternate route is that it would take the MST west through the County's Upper Eno Preserve (Seven Mile Creek) lands to Mount Willing Road, and then use Mount Willing Road, Camp Chestnut Ridge Road and an overland connector to link back to the "Proposed Trail." c) "Proposed Trail Alternate 2" — This alternate route would deviate from the "Proposed Trail" (although it could also work in tandem with Alternate 1) and connect through the Camp Chestnut Ridge property and the OWASA "Cane Creek Mitigation Tract," heading southward to Buckhorn Road and Arthur Minnis Road to reconnect with the "Proposed Trail." d) "Multi-Modal Trail" — This concept does not conform to the MST design and planning methods, but is instead a completely different approach. The Multi- Modal Trail as shown here would utilize road rights-of-way and is envisioned to be an improved trail along the shown roadways that would accommodate hikers (incorporating MST needs), bikes, and even horses. It would provide a trail experience that travels several roads identified as having scenic qualities. This is a new and innovative concept that, if pursued, would require a full collaboration with the NC Department of Transportation for a novel approach not found in other rural areas of the state, to staff's knowledge. Maps 2 and 3 show the "zoomed-in" section (by map and by aerial photo) of the planned initial phase, from Occoneechee Mountain to Seven Mile Creek Nature Park. Topic 3 — Landowner Voluntary Participation The acquisition of any trail easements or land purchases for the MST trail route in Orange County would be handled through the County's Lands Legacy Program. The Lands Legacy Program, created in 2000, has conserved 3,200 acres of future parkland, nature preserves, watershed riparian buffers, prime or threatened farmland or cultural and historic sites. This has been accomplished through a variety of mechanisms, such as fee-simple purchases of land, or in many cases, conservation 55 easements where ownership remains in private hands. Lands Legacy has also leveraged millions of dollars in state and federal grants, and worked with a variety of other conservation partner organizations. All of the above has been accomplished via voluntary conservation with willing landowners. This is one of the standards for the program throughout its 17 years of operation. All acquisitions and easements have been with the voluntary participation of the landowner. Many landowners have been able to secure conservation tax credits, or use the proceeds from their conservation transaction to reinvest in their farms. It is expected that this approach will continue to be used for MST easements or land acquisition. The Board of County Commissioners will be receiving a report with proposed follow-up actions and policy for the MST in Orange County, including planned continued use of voluntary acquisition methods, in spring 2017. Topic 4 — Signage, Trail Monitoring, Safety Measures, Other Operational Details Staff will develop separate operational plans as each segment of the MST is approved by the Board of County Commissioners, describing how acquisition of easements, trail infrastructure, signage, safety, construction and other operational details will be carried out. The following information describes the overall context within which the operational details for each segment will be developed: How will people access the Trail? There will be legal, managed access points along the trail, which will provide parking and trail information. Thus far there are formal access points in Eno River State Park and at River Park (downtown Hillsborough), Gold Park (West Hillsborough), and Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Another access point will be developed at the County's Seven Mile Creek Nature Park (adjacent to historic Moorefields). Additional locations in southwestern Orange County will be identified and secured as the actual trail route (MST"trail alignment") is determined and constructed through that area.The initial section of trail focus will be Occoneechee Mountain to Seven Mile Creek Nature Park. How would trail users be rescued if injured? This trail will be built over a period of many years, planned to begin in sub-segments from north to south. It is important to note -an emergency preparedness plan must be in place prior to opening any new section of the MST in Orange County.This is a requirement of the MST and State Parks, and one with which County staff concurs.That plan identifies the locations where emergency vehicles (large or small) could access various locations along the trail. Conversations have already begun with Orange County Emergency Services about how this plan would be developed, and staff is confident they have the resources to help people most anywhere in the county, including hikers in remote areas. They recommend (and staff will propose) installing markers along the MST and other public park trails every 1/10th mile, so visitors can keep track of their location and report their location if lost or injured along the trail. Those markers are assigned an "address" identified by the 911 Center with high-level accuracy for emergency response. 56 Who is responsible for enforcing against unauthorized activities on the trail, in parking areas, and off the trail in the nearby wooded areas (e.g., camping, parties)? The Orange County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office is also an active participant in planning for the MST in Orange County. The County may also hire Trails Rangers in the future to assist with this role. As time goes on and more sections of the trail are constructed, the operating details of this enforcement will be reviewed and implemented. Who is responsible for enforcing against illegal parking? The Orange County Sheriff Office.The Sheriff's Office will make routine patrols of the MST parking/ access areas and will respond to residents' calls when they see illegally parked cars. The County will work closely with the Sheriff's Office to monitor the situation and take further steps to reduce the incidence of illegal parking, including posting additional signage or re-routing the trail as needed. Who is responsible for trail and parking area sanitation, maintenance, and upkeep? County staff(or a future contracted or designated entity working under agreement with Orange County) will be responsible for these duties at the designated parking/access areas and along the trail. MST volunteers will also provide regular oversight and trail maintenance. In addition to the above, the following provisions are expected to be recommended for the MST trail: • Signage and pedestrian crossing measures where the MST runs temporarily along a roadside, or crosses on a roadway bridge. One example of this would be the overpass on Dimmock's Mill Road over Interstates 85 and 40. The exact details will need to be addressed with NCDOT, but it is expected that signage denoting hikers would be placed on both sides of this bridge, and that some type of"hiker alert" lights might be warranted to be activated when a pedestrian or trail hiker is crossing on the bridge. • As the trail is aligned and constructed, there may be places where privacy fencing may be warranted or desired. Efforts will be taken to route the actual trail away from private homes, but when there is proximity of some type, fencing may be recommended. 57 Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) — Segment 11 Master Plan Project Community Meeting #2 -Agenda September 19, 2016 7:00 —9:30 pm Maple View Agricultural Education Center 3501 Dairy land Road, Hillsborough, NC 7:00 Convene • Welcome by facilitator • Facilitator orients the assembly: provides overview of his role for the evening, the desired outcomes, agenda, and forum guidelines. 7:20 Clarification of and Ideas for Addressing Concerns Raised Six stations will be set up around the room or in classrooms; each devoted to one of the priority topics: • Land acquisition, trail easements, and eminent domain • Fire protection, personal safety, and managing trail use • Liability and insurance • Maintaining residents' privacy and rural character • Water quality in the Cane Creek watershed • Trail corridor and alternate routes Attendees may visit as many stations as they like for as long as they like, in whatever order they like. Every 20 minutes the facilitator will call out the time, to help pace the conversations at the stations and to support those who might be trying to visit all six stations in the two-hour timeframe. 9:10 Wrap Up All attendees will be invited to return to the main room to share informally their impressions from their respective station visits, to hear the County's plans for the next steps in its process, and to raise ideas for any additional information/conversations that might be needed. 9:30 Adjourn 58 iiir liii re iiii i lilt lilt e Community Meeting #1 -Agenda April 21, 2016 7:00 pm Cane Creek Activities Center 6716 Orange Grove Road, Hillsborough, NC 1. 7:00 Welcome 2. 7:05 What Is the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) 3. 7:15 Overview of the "Segment 11" Master Plan Project 4. 7:35 Tools for Feedback (Tonight's Exercise, Surveys, etc) 5. 7:50 Segment 11 - Maps, Info Sharing and Sketch Stations a. Segment 11A—Alamance County to NC 54 b. Segment 11B — NC 54 to Buckhorn Road c. Segment 11C — Buckhorn Road to Chestnut Ridge Church Road d. Segment 11 D — Chestnut Ridge Church Road to Occoneechee Mtn 6. 8:50 Next Steps / Comment Cards a. Sign-in / Contact Info Sheet 7. 9:00 Adjourn Proposed Mountains-to-Sea Trail (Segment 11) 59 ///) r� ,l i ) , 1 IN i v I ' 111 w I � < . , _ C U I 7 ( �\A I I IL J) I i l l I I I J yORRE T V 1 \ 7 11111 III ' HILL l LJ 1 1 c i r m E l T .-....--.,. 1, , , ) I WEST W �� /\ Y a . ).''' ' / I � I A / l \o‘o'e l / � i r1 C� l� l , . / c 1 \ Z 2 °'o m U' a) o , i i @ C e � : O j / m m^ 1 Y fd. K / ) a \\ r\ �! � N f 1 \ r % / 1 � ' Q 1' o / /GQO/j A 0 ) \,,,2-'c',Z' 3, S.,,,, ' / m wad. VA ,p; li" \ ' � A a f,, �� 'g 1 t �RI1URI NIS RD J+ 4, OK m NN m " � 0 ) d � 1 �i� ART O \ \ lY � SCR MINNIS J r i \ t / / 1 l 'f, �w ■ 1 QUARRY .� U Jdly/ I / _. (I 0 7a \/ , / I o� w f f r \ � t rhALB/RTRD C'+, \ \ o �,.. 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