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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOUTBoard minutes 121609 Approved 1/20/10 1 MINUTES 1 ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING 2 DECEMBER 16, 2009 3 4 5 MEMBERS PRESENT: Sam Lasris, Cedar Grove Township; Nancy Cole Baker, Pedestrian Access Safety Advocate; 6 Alice Gordon, Board of County Commissioners liaison; Julian (Randy) Marshall, Bingham Township; Bryn Smith, 7 CFE Representative; Leo Allison, Cheeks Township; Amy Cole, Transit Advocate; Jeff Charles, Bicycle Advocate 8 9 10 MEMBERS ABSENT: Paul Guthrie, Chapel Hill Township; Mary Bobbitt-Cooke, Planning Board Liaison; 11 Al Terry, Transportation Services Board Representative; Eric Tillman, Hillsborough Township Representative; 12 Little River Township-Vacant; Economic Development Commission-Vacant; Eno Township Representative-Vacant; 13 14 15 STAFF PRESENT: Karen Lincoln, Transportation Planner; Tina Love, Administrative Assistant II 16 17 18 OTHERS PRESENT: Tom Magnuson, Trading Path Association 19 20 21 I. Call to order 22 23 24 II. Consideration of additions to the agenda 25 26 Randy Marshall requested the Board discuss the Elizabeth Brady Road extension. 27 28 29 III. Board Comments/Updates 30 31 Bryn Smith informed the Board she attended the Town of Chapel Hill’s Long Range Transit 2035 Plan Public Forum. 32 She noted they are using the same numbers the Durham/Chapel Hill/ Carrboro (DCHC) Metropolitan Planning 33 Organization (MPO) is using that estimate the area will get 700,000 additional residents in the MPO. She advised 34 that the Chapel Hill public meeting was sparsely attended. There was presentation on high frequency bus dedicated 35 lanes, which would only be put on MLK and only from the I-40 area to Estes, beyond Estes to the south the right-of-36 way becomes a problem. A lot of riders would potentially exit at the future site of Carolina North. She noted they 37 assume that light rail will happen on NC 54. Bryn noted hey stated their information had come from the MPO. There 38 will be another public meeting on January 12th at Town Hall in Chapel Hill. When asked about long range 39 coordination with the County, MPO, and Hillsborough, they stated they are in favor of continuing and expanding all 40 the partnerships. 41 42 The Board discussed the Town of Hillsborough meeting regarding the Elizabeth Brady Bypass. The outcome was 43 that the Town of Hillsborough voted for the no build option. Orange County Commissioners endorsed a resolution 44 supporting the No Build option on December 15. Karen Lincoln explained the other projects that could be done and 45 also others that will be needed. The Town of Hillsborough put together a list that included signage, etc. There was a 46 meeting with the NCDOT Secretary Of Transportation to discuss projects the Town of Hillsborough would like to see 47 replace Elizabeth Brady bypass. She noted that the DOT was receptive to the idea of alternatives but it has to go 48 through the MPO process in order to get federal funding. Karen continued to explain more about how the process 49 works to get projects. She noted that Hillsborough had been asking for the Elizabeth Brady project as it’s number 50 one project in the Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) for the last ten - twelve years, except last year when it 51 was dropped. Karen also noted that there had been an Economic Development District Transportation Workgroup 52 Plan, a joint effort between Hillsborough and Orange County to work out some compromise about Elizabeth Brady 53 Road in 22001. Representation included Eno River Association, Chamber of Commerce, Alliance for Historic 54 Hillsborough, Economic Development Commission and both jurisdictions. In addressing Elizabeth Brady Road they 55 Approved 1/20/10 2 determined to continue the study and listed preferred options alignments. The first three preferred options were the 56 three alignments (alignment 6, alignment 4, and alignment 3) studied in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 57 Karen Lincoln advised that the NCDOT will accept comments through January 7, 2010. They should have it written 58 up a month or so later, then NCDOT will make a recommendation for the Final Environmental Impact Statement. 59 NCDOT will look at the things the project is suppose to do; alleviate traffic congestion, improve safety, traffic delays, 60 and public comments, etc. The FHWA issues the record of decision on what can or cannot be built and she 61 estimates it will be another year unless the no build option means it stops at that point. 62 63 Randy Marshall asked if the Town of Hillsborough and Orange County have both agreed on a no build option can 64 NCDOT override it and build anyway. 65 66 Karen Lincoln responded that although they have invested in the studies, etc. she thinks they will probably cut it. She 67 noted that they will consider public opinion. 68 69 Randy Marshall asked it the results from the CTP survey was known to the decision makers. 70 71 Karen Lincoln responded that they did not yet have it. 72 73 Nancy Baker commented that they are acting at the end of a very long timeline and so many things have changed in 74 that time. 75 76 Randy Marshall noted that in his memory of the survey results, there was substantial support for a western and/or 77 eastern bypass. He noted that the no build goes against the majority of the respondents of the survey that want 78 some type of bypass around Hillsborough. 79 80 Karen Lincoln explained some of the criteria were not met according to the Federal Highway Administration; the 81 statement of purpose and need was not met. Therefore, the NCDOT held a stakeholders meeting to change the 82 Statement of Purpose and Need. MPO representatives did not vote for the change because NCDOT was not 83 considering returning to all previous consensus points to study suggested alternatives to see how they stack up and 84 to see if they can be chosen for study. Karen is not sure if they recommend a no build if it has to be carried through 85 to the final EIS phase record of decision. 86 87 Sam Lasris suggested that in the interest of time that the Board move straight to the invited speaker, Tom Magnuson. 88 89 90 IV. Approval of Minutes 91 92 The OUTBoard approved the minutes from November 18, 2009 with correction by affirmation. 93 94 95 V. 2010 Meeting Schedule 96 97 The OUTBoard approved the meeting schedule for 2010 by affirmation. 98 99 100 VI. Rural Pedestrian Connectivity Plan Update 101 102 Nancy Baker updated the Board that as part of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan, work is being done for a 103 pedestrian connectivity plan. The Town of Hillsborough has a pedestrian connectivity plan and it seems to be a good 104 idea to have a Countywide pedestrian connectivity plan. She noted that the idea is somewhat novel because there is 105 very little in the way of sidewalks and the ability for someone to walk from one part of the County to another. She 106 advised that they are devising a plan of different routes through the County that people can walk. She advised that 107 she had invited Tom Magnuson to come and speak to the Board because he is working with the group. Nancy 108 introduced Tom as the head of the Trading Path Association and is an expert on the history of walking in Orange 109 Approved 1/20/10 3 County so she wanted him to tell the Board about the way things used to be and noted that she hopes someday to 110 get back to that place again. 111 112 Tom Magnuson advised the Board that his organization’s business is finding and mapping colonial landscapes and 113 the most obvious landscape remnants, the ones that are most constant are the old roads, trails, and paths. He noted 114 that because the topography is clay they hold the indentations. He told the Board that the reason they go out and 115 find them is not because they are valuable but because up until the mid 19th century nobody lived more than a couple 116 of feet from the road. It was the source of information. People would sit on porches and all traffic moved slowly 117 enough to have a conversation while passing and it was the way people stayed informed until rural mail delivery 118 started in the 19th century and people started having long driveways, etc. He noted that most people walked. 119 120 Speaker Tom Magnuson continued to educate the OUTBoard members on the history of walking and Orange 121 County. He discussed multiple land sites and their origins throughout the County. He noted that during his research 122 over the past summer they found five cemeteries, four taverns, and three schools that had not been recorded. His 123 presentation included a map and he discussed the original size of the County before it was split and became part of 124 the surrounding counties. Tom recommended that the planning process include some of the historical features of the 125 County in future projects. The Board discussed the possible use of some of the old roads in the pedestrian plan. He 126 suggested that there is value as tourist attractions to be had from some of the sites. He also noted that when some 127 other counties get sewer and water easements they also purchase the right of passage and recommends that 128 Orange County do the same for future trails. 129 130 Nancy Baker speculated that perhaps someday the Lands Legacy Program might encourage farmers to donate strips 131 of land, or the right to use the land. 132 133 Tom Magnuson also noted an instance where a county purchased the buffer along a river so the farmers wouldn’t 134 incur the burden of cleaning up trees, etc. along the river and in doing so they got some good hiking trails. He noted 135 there a lot of trails and paths in Orange County (many can be found on www.tradingpath.org ) and that his mission of 136 his organization is to find, map, and protect landscape artifacts and remnants from the colonial era. He noted that he 137 is also creating a group called the Historic Mapping Congress and they are going to have a website that the public 138 can go and say ‘there’s a road here…’ or ‘there’s an old tavern there….’ and they will be able to go to the map and 139 draw on the map and it will become a GIS layer. After that is done there will be a data form to fill out telling what it 140 represents. It will then be authenticated by each county. He informed the Board that when that happens there will be 141 a map and say ‘show me where all the taverns are between 1740 and 1760 in Orange County. Tom also let the 142 OUTBoard members know that his organization holds public hikes on the first Sunday of every month and those are 143 advertised on the website. 144 145 At the conclusion of the presentation, Nancy Baker informed the Board that the pedestrian plan had held six or seven 146 meetings and one of the things they have done is look for routes. She noted they are also putting together all the 147 lands that are going to be held by groups like Duke Forest that can be accessed by the public. The map they have 148 started also has destinations. Nancy reviewed the map with the group and explained some of the routes. 149 150 Amy Cole suggested that the Safe Routes to School project investigate whether or not there are any trading paths 151 near the schools that could be incorporated into the current Safe Routes to School project. They are going to be 152 proposing some options and if there is a possibility there are some historic paths for a pedestrian path to go through 153 it may be even safer for the children to walk than the side of the road. 154 155 Karen Lincoln noted that SRTS funds would not include money for purchasing right-of-way but sometimes there are 156 neighborhood paths that kids use. The Safe Routes to School projects are mostly to provide safe crossings, safe 157 routes for bicycles, etc. Karen did advise that once there is a plan, there are various grants for which the County 158 can apply to help with greenway trails. She agrees it would be good to find out if there are any historic landscapes. 159 160 Jeff Charles suggested that the bicycling community involved as many also spend a lot of time hiking. 161 162 Nancy Baker added that there is also the horseback community to consider. 163 Approved 1/20/10 4 164 VII. Orange County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) 165 166 Sam Lasris let the members know that this will involve taking all the regulations, manuals, the Zoning Ordinance, 167 Subdivision Regulations, etc. and combining with cross-references into one manual. 168 169 Bryn Smith added that one of the questions that came up is whether or not any Ordinances will change and if there 170 will be public comment. 171 172 Sam Lasris advised that there is not to be any change in philosophy but that the timeline is quick. He advised that 173 the OUTBoard’s charge is to review the Ordinances that involve transportation. 174 175 Karen Lincoln added that the OUTBoard will look at all the things that pertain to transportation and try to make sure 176 they are able to be found in the UDO. She noted it will be a good way to tag any that may need some work. 177 178 Alice Gordon advised that she has requested some clarification from staff. She also pointed out some items that 179 were missing and others that will need to be flagged. Alice related that she had been advised by staff that it is 180 reorganization not a rewrite and there will be placeholders. Additionally everything that is new will be flagged. Alice 181 advised that she made a motion that an extra step be added in that when it gets sent to all the Board and 182 Commissions, etc. that it will also be sent to the Commissioners for approval. She suggested that when the 183 OUTBoard gets the UDO for review that they flag anything that is missing that should be included or reserved for the 184 future such as transit. 185 186 187 VIII. Hollow Rock Park Master Plan 188 189 Karen Lincoln advised the OUTBoard that the proposal has to be approved by Chapel Hill, Orange County, and 190 Durham/Durham County. It is being reviewed and the Commissioners received and update/presentation at a work 191 session. The County Manager recommended to the Board of County Commissioners refer the master plan to the 192 Recreation and Parks Advisory Council, the Commission for the Environment, and Orange Unified Transportation 193 Board requesting feedback and comments on the relevant components of the master plan. She noted these need to 194 be back by February 1, 2010. Karen advised that she would recommend the Board get an introduction to the item 195 and then take action on it in January. She noted one of the recommendations of the proposed master plan is to close 196 a portion of Pickett Road (gravel) for the sake of the park. 197 198 The members reviewed the map 199 200 (Overlapping conversations) 201 202 Randy Marshall made a motion to approve the proposal to close Pickett Road. Nancy Baker seconded. Vote was 203 unanimous. 204 205 206 IX. Proposed Ordinance Amendments for Drive-Thru Facilities 207 208 Karen Lincoln advised the OUTBoard that this item was tabled at the last Economic Development meeting. 209 210 Sam Lasris asked the OUTBoard if they would like to make a recommendation on drive-thru facilities to the Board of 211 County Commissioners. He noted the Board would not necessarily have to agree but come up with a policy 212 statement, revise it, amend it and then vote. It would then be passed to the Commissioners and they could see the 213 member statements and how it was voted. 214 215 Karen Lincoln advised that she had taken the comments made by each member of the OUTBoard regarding drive-216 thrus and produced a document for review. 217 Approved 1/20/10 5 218 Jeff Charles stated that the Board had spent quite a bit of time on the subject and believes it is appropriate to have a 219 statement and to have a vote; if it is a majority/minority it doesn’t matter it still reflects the vote. 220 221 Sam Lasris included that during the vote the members are given the opportunity to state for the record their reason 222 for their vote so it is on the record. 223 224 Karen Lincoln advised that the Board can authorize the Chair/Vice-Chair/staff to come up with something and bring it 225 back to the OUTBoard. 226 227 The consensus was come up with something and bring it to the next meeting. 228 229 230 X. Adjournment 231 232 There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned 233 234 ___________________________________________ Sam Lasris, Chair