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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE 111201 I F N O 'V 7 Memorandum To : Commission for the Environment From : Julie Tucker , Chair Date : November 5 , 2001 Re : November 12 , 2001 Meeting Agenda Please find attached the agenda and materials for the next meeting of the Commission for the Environment , on Monday, November 12, 2001 7830 p . m . Southern Human Services Center 2505 Homestead Road Chapel Hill , NC Please note that we have three major action items on the agenda — appro val of the State of the En vironment progress report, appro val of the Lands Legacy 2002-2003 Action Plan recommendations, and election of Chair and Vice- Chair, We plan to start the meeting on time, so please try to be present at 7: 30 . If you have questions , or will be unable to attend , please contact Carol Melton ( 245 - 2597 , cmelton@co . orange . nc . us ) by the Friday before the meeting . j AGENDA Orange County Commission for the Environment November 12 , 2001 - 7 : 30 p . m . Southern Human Services Center 2505 Homestead Road , Chapel Hill , NC Time Pg # Item 7 : 30 I . Call to Order 7 : 32 II . 2001 State of the Environment Progress Report As per previous discussions . A draft of the report was e - mailed to all members last week, compiled from the separate committee sections . Action is needed to adopt the report with any changes needed so that it may be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners December 8th retreat . A final draft will be emailed prior to the meeting . 8 : 20 III . Resolution Concerning Non = Member Participation 8 : 30 1 We Lands Legacy Annual Action Plan 2002 - 2003 The recommendations of the Biological Resources Committee are attached . The Commission is asked to review this recommendation and adopt priorities to be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners . 8 : 45 3 V . Input to BOCC Annual Planning Retreat See Pages 3 - 6 8 : 50 7 V. Election of Chair and Vice - Chair As per adopted CFE Rules and Procedure . 9 : 00 VI . Committee Breakout Sessions As time permits 9 : 30 Me Adjournment ( Next meeting December 10 ) t' ��. ? � y MEMORANDUM DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT From: Commission for the Environment To : David Stancil and Rich Shaw , Orange County ERCD Date : October 16 , 2001 RE : Lands Legacy Action Plan for FY 2002-03 The Orange County Commission for the Environment recommends that the following sites , areas , and actions be considered for taking priority in the Lands Legacy Action Plan for FY 2002-03 . These sites are presented in no special order. ERCD staff should feel free to prioritize as they see fit . First, the County should continue its current efforts to protect three areas identified in the priority list of projects for the 2001 -02 Action Plan : Seven Mile Creek, Southern Shagbark Hickory Forest and Pickards Mountain . Efforts to establish a Seven. Mile Creek Preserve is a multi -year project , and are likely to be carried forward into FY 2002-03 . Two large tracts totaling 134 acres were purchased by Orange County in June 2001 , and included a portion of Natural Area E02 . If current efforts to protect portions of the Southern Shagbark Hickory Forest adjacent to Mason Farm Biological Reserve (Natural Area Site M 16 ) and Pickards Mountain (NA Site M01 ) are not completed by June 2002 , they may need to be carried forward FY 2002-03 . For the 2002 -03 Action Plan the CFE recommends including priority sites in the Upper Eno River watershed critical area, the Upper New Hope Creek basin , and other riparian habitats , including the Eno River corridor and lands surrounding Eno River State Park. The CFE ' s Biological Resources Committee would like to be consulted to identify specific locations within those areas to concentrate staff efforts . 1 . Upper Eno River watershed critical areas Cooperate with the Eno River Association on land acquisition and conservation easements in critical areas in the Upper Eno watershed . Work on protecting high priority tracts using data generated by Brian Dobyns & Perry Suggs ( CWMTF grant) . 2 . Lands adjacent to Eno River State Park (ERSP) Cooperate with ERSP and the Eno River Association on land acquisition and conservation easements to improve buffer areas around the state park. 3 . Upper New Hope Creek Cooperate with the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) and the New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee (NCCAC) on land acquisition , conservation easements (and land management) in the Upper New Hope Creek watershed . The NCCAC has requested increased riparian protection efforts along the upper reaches of New Hope Creek (upstream of TLC ' s Johnston Mill Preserve) . The TLC report Rating Land in Orange County for its Wildlife Value ( 1999) identifies this area as containing some substantial areas of less fragmented hardwood forest . The report of the Biological Resources Committee in the State of the Environment Report 2000 also identifies the headwaters of New Hope Creek, the uplands in the central part of the County , as a priority for protection . 4 . Higher Priority Natural Areas The CFE also recommends including the higher priority Natural Area Sites in the 2002-03 Action Plan . ERCD should work with the BRC to identify priority sites for natural area acquisition or pursuing conservation easements . The BRC would like to be invited on site visits to those locations as opportunities arise . 5 . Riparian Habitats More generally , the CFE feels that all opportunities for protection of riparian corridors and associated natural areas throughout the county should be seriously considered , for biological protection as well as for improvement of water quality . Two areas that may warrant special attention are a) the Little River corridor where cooperative efforts are already underway with Durham County , Eno River Association and Triangle Land Conservancy, and b) the Morgan Creek Valley where new opportunities exist for collaboration with the newly -formed Morgan Creek Valley Consortium. Conservation opportunities outside of the above recommendations should not be excluded from consideration . Orange County should continue to use the Orange County inventory of natural areas (to be updated in 2002) , the Landscape with Wildlife reports (TLC 1997/99 ) , and the sites identified for conservation in the State of the Environment Report (CFE , 2000) to help identify priority sites for protection within the Eno River , New Hope Creek, Little River, Morgan Creek and other important watersheds . Finally , the Lands Legacy program should explore the County ' s ability to and interest in the purchase of land and later re - selling all or a portion with deed restrictions that would protect sensitive natural areas . That technique may be viable for adding to the range of conservation tools already approved for use with Lands Legacy . c� MEMORANDUM TO : Chairs , County Advisory Boards and Commissions FROM : Stephen H . Halkiotis DATE : October 26 , 2001 RE : County Commissioners ' Annual Planning Retreat The Orange County Board of Commissioners will hold its annual planning retreat on Saturday , December 8tn We ask that you communicate to us the top one or two priorities of your Board or Commission for the next fiscal year beginning July 1 , 2002 . We recognize that your top priorities may be continuing functions or needs which have not been addressed or new ones which have come to your attention . Whether or not you choose to submit something from your board/commission , please , at the minimum , complete the attached form and return to Beverly A . Blythe by November 27 . Your comments will be helpful to the County Commissioners in finalizing priorities . While the agenda has not been set for the retreat , if you would like to address the County Commissioners , please indicate at the top of page one of the form by printing the name of the person who will speak and their telephone number . We ask that you keep your comments to 5 minutes . The County Commissioners thank you for volunteering your time in service to the citizens of Orange County and we welcome your views in our policy making process . By working together we can continue to make Orange County the best . cc : Staff Support 'Y ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS INPUT FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ' ANNUAL PLANNING RETREAT December 8 , 2001 The Board of Commissioners has expressed interest in receiving input from various advisory boards and commissions in preparation for the BOCC ' s annual planning retreat . Please complete the following information , limited to the front and back sides of this form . Other background materials may be provided as a supplement to , but not as a substitute for , this form . Board/Commission Name . # Positions Specified by BOCC . Chair ' s Name : Chair ' s Phone : Chair ' s E-mail : Chair ' s Fax : Primary County Staff Contact : Brief Statement of Board/Commission ' s Assigned Charge and Responsibilities List of Specific Tasks , Events , or Functions Performed or Sponsored Annually What 2001 - 2002 BOCC adopted goal (s ) , if any, does this board/commission have a role in carrying out ? Describe this board/commission ' s activities/accomplishments in carrying out the 2001 - 2002 BOCC goal (s ) , if applicable . Identify any activities this board/commission expects to carry out in 2002 - 2003 as they relate to established BOCC goals . What activities does this board/commission contemplate , and/or what issues does this board/commission foresee at this time , that could lead to a proposed new BOCC goal (s ) for 2002- 2003 ? In priority order , what are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the upcoming fiscal year that it plans to address , regardless of their relationship to any existing or new BOCC goal ? Describe any training related to its primary responsibilities that this Board/Commission has received during 2001 , either collectively , or for individual members . County of Orange , Commission for the Environment Rules of Procedure , amended 4/ 15 / 99 Be Election Procedures and Terms of Office The procedures for election of the Chair and Vice Chair shall be as follows : 1 . These officers shall be elected by the Commission for the Environment from among its members at the regular meeting in November of each year . They shall take office at the following regular meeting . 2 . The candidate for each office receiving a majority vote of the Commission for the Environment members present shall be declared elected . 3 . The . officers shall be elected for a term of one year . They shall be eligible to succeed themselves for not more than three consecutive terms . 4 . Vacancies in the office shall be filled immediately for the unexpired term by the regular election procedure . ARTICLE III - MEMBERS A . Membership 1 . Members of the Commission for the Environment shall be Orange County residents . 2 . Members of the Commission for the Environment shall be appointed by, and • serve at the pleasure of, the BOCC . 3 . The Commission for the Environment shall have fifteen appointed members plus one County Commissioner as follows . a. Five members with specific expertise in . • Air Quality • Biological Sciences • Engineering , (preferably in a field related to the environment) • Land Resources e Water Resources 2 , 3 Additional Information Items Commission for the Environment November 12 , 2001 Agenda http : //www . enn . com/extras/printer"friendly . asp ?storyid=45299 9 Wildlife corridors give species breathing room By David Suzuki Friday, October 19, 2001 Creating " wildlife corridors " to allow animals to migrate between otherwise isolated patches of protected areas has been a popular , although somewhat controversial , idea ever since the eminent Harvard biologist E . O . Wilson first proposed it in the 1960s . Now new studies are showing that such corridors may indeed help improve some species ' chances of survival . Red squirrels are a good example of how corridors can work . These animals used to inhabit much of the United Kingdom , but widespread deforestation in the 19th century pushed them into small patches of forest , mostly in Scotland . There the red squirrels faced pressures from their larger cousins , introduced American grey squirrels , and their numbers dwindled . For more than a century , red squirrels remained isolated , breeding largely within their own immediate groups and creating genetically distinct populations . Then toward the middle of the 20th century , some of the land separating the squirrel groups was replanted with trees . By the 1980s , the trees had grown to a squirrel - friendly size , creating a corridor — albeit fragmented — of habitat . But it was enough for the squirrels . During the next 20 years , they used the new patches of forest cover as stepping stones to spread from one patch to the next . Now , according to a recent study published in the journal Science, comparisons of DNA samples taken from red squirrels preserved in the 1920s with modern red squirrels show that populations have bridged the gap and are once again genetically mixed . Other studies also corroborate the beneficial effects of wildlife corridors . A 1998 review in the journal Conservation Biology, for example , analyzed 32 studies and found that all sorts of animals make use of corridors . Recent studies have also revealed that wildlife corridors can be beneficial for birds and butterflies . Corridors could prove vital in future conservation efforts . Worldwide , the rate of extinction for plant and animal species is escalating . In the past half- century , for example , tropical forests have shrunk by half . Protected areas exist , but many are too small to support enough genetic diversity for some species to survive . Genetic diversity within species is crucial to help them adapt to changing environmental conditions like the introduction of a new predator or disease , an extreme weather event , or global warming . Isolated populations are also at risk from inbreeding . 1 of 2 11 / 1 /2001 11 : 10 AM http : //www . enn . com/extras/printer-friendly . asp ?storyid=45299 41 p_j Wildlife corridors do have their drawbacks , however . If populations and genes can mix , so can diseases . Corridors are also relatively expensive and difficult to create , involving many levels of government as well as farmers , industry , and property owners . But in spite of the problems , many ecologists feel that creating such corridors is essential to help slow the worldwide loss of biodiversity . At present , a series of wildlife corridors is being designed for Central America in what is one of the largest conservation projects ever attempted . The project spans eight countries , from Mexico to Panama , and seeks to blend existing parks with buffer zones and protected corridors , creating a web of biological passages that will allow species to migrate from one area to another . Many conservationists feel that the project is an important test case because it ' s taking place in poor tropical countries , where the greatest diversity of life exists but where biodiversity is also under the greatest threat . If successful , such projects could expand to South America , Asia , and Africa . Creating wildlife corridors is not the ultimate solution to slowing the worldwide loss of biodiversity , but it is an important step in the right direction . Protected areas alone will offer scant real protection if they are too small to provide enough habitat or genetic diversity for species to successfully adapt to a constantly changing world . Copyright 2001 — Environmental News Network Any reprinting , rebroadcast or digital transmission of this work without written permission from Environmental News Network , Inc . is strictly prohibited . :)f 2 11 / 1 /2001 11 : 10 AM American Forests : www . americanforests . org http : //www . americanforests . org/news/print.php ?id= 19 IF MaN. 0DTS IF4 euru: trtrit19`sre t'�. } t` New Study Shows Trees Save Portland Region Millions Contact : Stevin Westcott , (202 ) 955 - 4500 x 234 PORTLAND , OR (October 18 , 2001 ) — At a news conference today in Portland , Oregon , AMERICAN FORESTS ( amencanforests . org ) released a new study showing how the tree canopy of the Willamette/Lower Columbia Region provides hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental and economic benefits such as reducing stormwater runoff, energy usage , and air pollution . The report also shows the area ' s tree cover declined by 22 % over the past 28 years , costing communities billions of dollars in lost benefits . The following officials participated in the news conference : Portland Parks Commissioner Jim Francesconi ; Brian McNerney , Portland ' s City Foresters Gary Moll , Vice President of AMERICAN FORESTS ; and Nancy Graybeal , Deputy Regional Forester of the Pacific NW Region , USDA Forest Service . The study was conducted with support from the USDA Forest Service , Washington State Department of Natural Resources , the Oregon Department of Forestry , and officials from the nine cities included in the study as well as Clark County , WA . The following cities in Oregon participated in the study : Albany ; Beaverton ; Corvallis ; Eugene ; Portland ; Salem ; Tualatin ; Wilsonville ; and Vancouver , Washington . In the report , called the Regional Ecosystem Analysis (REA) for the Willamette/Lower Columbia Region of Northwestern Oregon and Southwestern Washington State , AMERICAN FORESTS analysts used satellite imagery to document changes in the study area ' s tree canopy ( a 700mmillion acre area) between 1972 and 2000 . " Our analysts found the total average tree cover for the region is 24 % - - down from 46 % in 1972 , " said Gary Moll of AMERICAN FORESTS , the nation ' s oldest nonprofit conservation organization . "Despite good faith efforts to manage development , tree -canopy loss is a trend that is occurring in areas across the United States . As populations grow , so do the pressures on natural resources and the number of benefits that are lost . " AMERICAN FORESTS analyzed 63 specific sites , representing a cross - section of land uses such as residential and commercial/industrial by using aerial photography and computer software developed by AMERICAN FORESTS , CITYgreen ® . CITYgreen allows users to calculate the benefits trees provide in dollar values . Analysts found the region ' s trees are removing 178 million pounds of pollutants annually , a savings valued at $419 million . Sulfur dioxide , carbon monoxide , nitrogen dioxide , ozone , and particulate matter are among the pollutants trees absorb . This same tree cover is saving communities an estimated $ 20 . 2 billion in stormwater management costs (the amount it would cost to build a facility to handle that same quantity of stormwater runoff) . Besides reducing the need for stormwater facilities , trees act as filters that help purify water . Water quality is of particular importance in the Pacific Northwest because many communities are under federal mandate to improve aquatic habitats for threatened and endangered salmon species . 1 of 2 11 / 1 /2001 11o08 AM merican Forests . www . amencanforests . org http ://www , amencanforests . org/news/print.php9id.= 19 7 4A Trees (or green infrastructure) help shade and cool residential homes during hot summer months , thereby reducing the amount_ of electricity needed to run air conditioners . AMERICAN FORESTS ' REA finds trees provide an estimated $ 1 . 86 million in annual energy savings for communities in the area . Reducing energy use also reduces the amount of carbon emissions by utility companies . Direct tree shading prevents approximately 140 , 000 tons of . carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere annually . One of the most interesting findings of the report is that the Portland region is , for the most part , either densely forested (21 % ) or open/agriculture land (75 % ) . There are few areas with moderate tree cover (4 % ) . Areas with heavy tree cover declined by 56 % , whereas areas with light tree canopy grew by 51 % during the study period . Losing tree cover reduces environmental quality and the overall health of a community . If the tree canopy of 1972 had been retained , an estimated 58 million tons of carbon would not have entered the atmosphere . The lost tree cover increased stormwater runoff that costs an estimated $ 2 . 4 billion to manage and would have removed 138 million pounds of pollutants annually , valued at $ 322 million per year . ' AMERICAN FORESTS recommends that most regions maintain a 40 % average tree cover . If the Portland region met that recommendation , trees would provide about $ 1 . 03 billion worth in pollution removal and 146 million tons of carbon would be stored a year . Lastly , the Regional Ecosystem Analysis recommends specific actions that local decision makers can take to increase the tree canopy of the Willamette/Lower Columbia Region . They include : utilizing CITYgreen and other tools in this study to incorporate a " green layer" in land development decision -making ; encouraging the use of increased tree cover as one strategy for meeting air pollution and stormwater management needs ; and continuing to work towards increasing and conserving tree canopy in metropolitan areas . Development is causing many of our cities to become cities of sidewalks , roads , and buildings ( gray infrastructure ) by removing trees ( green infrastructure) . This tree - loss trend has adverse environmental and financial effects and degrades the overall health and quality of urban , suburban , and rural environments . By conducting Regional Ecosystem Analyses in cities across the United States , AMERICAN FORESTS estimates 634 million trees are needed to bring America ' s urban areas up to 40 % average tree canopy . In recent weeks the organization unveiled a new national campaign called " Gray to Green : Reversing the National Urban Tree Deficit" that encourages people everywhere to plant trees to help improve the quality of our cities . AMERICAN FORESTS has the ability to conduct a Regional Ecosystem Analysis for any city or region in the continental United States . SEE ALSO : Portland REA Urban forests ' value measured b , study tudy Urban Trees Save City Millions By Handling Stormwater, Pollution Founded in 1875 , American Forests is the oldest national nonprofit citizen conservation organization . American Forests is a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration , a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry , and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests . American Forests is on the World Wide Web at www . americanforests . org . of 2 11 / 1 /2001 11 : 08 AM News & Observer(Print Friendly) : http : //www . . . ws/columnists/Story/831902p - 821424c . html http : //cgi . newsobserver . com/standing/help/tools/_scripts/friendly-print . cgi 13 newsobtservilu Published : Tuesday, October 23 , 2001 5 : 02 a . m . EDT Road Worrier Free rides to arrive soon in RTP , Chapel Hill By RICHARD STRADLING , Staff Writer Transit boosters in Research Triangle Park , Chapel Hill and Carrboro think they can lure people out of their cars by letting them ride the bus for free . A program now in the works at RTP would give workers free bus passes if their employers sign up and pay a lump sum to the Triangle Transit Authority . The Ecopass program , named and modeled after similar programs in Denver and California ' s Silicon Valley , could begin as soon as January . Also in January , the Chapel Hill Transit system will rip theffare boxes out of its buses . Chapel Hill , Carrboro and UNC - Chapel Hill are providing an additional $ 1 . 5 million to the transit system to make up for the lost fares . The university plans to collect a fee of less than $ 10 a semester from every student on campus to help cover the costs . The savings to passengers varies by system and route . The fare between RTP and anywhere TTA serves , for example , is $ 3 a round trip , or $ 48 for a monthly pass . Is that enough to get people to forsake their cars ? Meredith Yankow , RTP ' s new travel demand management coordinator , thinks so . Yankow says 205 out of 285 people said in an online survey that they would ride the bus if it were free . Assuming they don ' t already ride the bus , those 205 people alone would represent a significant bump in bus ridership to RTP , where an earlier survey of 37 , 296 workers found only 189 regular bus riders . " I don ' t think it will be a situation in the beginning where TTA' s buses will be overwhelmed , " she said . " But I think there will be an increase , and it will give people who have not used the bus before a chance to try it . " Yankow also cites the success of the programs in Denver and Silicon Valley , where Ecopass holders have free access to bus and light rail . Transit ridership among Silicon Valley commuters rose 55 percent in the first year of Ecopass , said Scott Haywood , sales program manager for the Valley Transportation Authority . But Matt McKrell is skeptical that a free ride will entice more than a token number of Triangle residents from their cars . McKrell , a 40 -year- old computer programmer , rides the bus from Cary to IBM in the park every day to save money and aggravation but says he is an exception . Free ridership is a noble experiment , he says , but it isn ' t money that keeps people off buses . " Ordinary city buses take too long to get where they' re going because they have to make stops along the way to pick up and let off passengers , " McKrell said . "Yet they' re stuck in the same traffic as everyone else . " Dedicated bus lanes and devices that let bus drivers control traffic lights would help , McKrell said . So would convenient routes and more frequent service , says Nancy Breeding , who works in the University Theatre at N . C . State University and lives in North Raleigh . Breeding , 49 , has in mind Capital Area Transit buses , which she says are clean and affordable but have " lousy routes and lengthy commute times . " " Buses don 't have to be free to be effective . They just have to run where people need to go , " she said . " It shouldn ' t have to take two hours to get from Method Road [ near NCSU ] to North Raleigh . " Improving service is one of the goals of fare -free busing . Yankow says money from Ecopass could be used to enhance TTA service to RTP , perhaps by installing canopies at bus stops or adding new routes . Chapel Hill Transit will put more buses on the road next year and has hired a consultant to study its five busiest routes to see how they could be improved . 1 of 2 10/30/2001 2 : 38 PM :ws & Observer(Print Friendly) : http : //www . . . ws/columnists/Story/831902p . 821424c . html http : //cgi . newsobserver. com/standing/help/tools/_scripts/friendly-print . cgi r "We will be doing some tweaking of the system so that the day we open up for fare -free service we have better service on the road , " said Mary Lou Kuschatka , Chapel Hill ' s transportation director . Chapel Hill Transit expects its annual ridership of 3 million will increase 10 percent to 20 percent when the fare boxes disappear . Kuschatka agrees convenience is key to improving ridership , but she says that enabling people to get on the bus without fishing for change is providing a convenience . "A lot of people say ' Oh , the money' s not the issue , ' but I believe it ' s one more barrier for people who are not familiar with the system , " she said . " It ' s easier to go put the key in the ignition than to make the phone call to find out what the fare is . " Staff writer Richard Stradling can be reached at 8294739 or rstradli ( � newsobserver . com BACK © Copyright 2000 , The News & Observer. All material found on newsobserver. com is copyrighted The News & Observer and associated news services . No material may be reproduced or reused without explicit permission from The News & Observer . s ) f 2 10/30/2001 2 : 38 PM News & Observer(Print Friendly) : http : //www . . . news/triangle/Story/832092p - 821552c . html http : //cgi . newsobserver. com/standing/help/tools/_scripts/friendly-print . cgi news r rX Published : Wednesday , October 24 , 2001 4 : 51 a . m . EDT TTA closing in on rail proposal for federal OK Funds , station sites and more to be pinned down By BARBARA BARRETT , Staff Writer For years , Triangle residents have been hearing about plans for a regional rail system that would whisk commuters from home to work . Beginning today and continuing over the next two months , the Triangle Transit Authority will make choices that could determine whether the first train ever leaves the station . The agency is finishing its application to the Federal Transit Administration for nearly $ 340 million to help pay for the system . If the paperwork that TTA sends in the spring doesn ' t read just right , the money might not come through . No money , no rail line . " It ' s everything , " said TTA trustee Rachel Willis , an associate professor in American studies and economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , of the coming decisions . " It ' s absolutely critical . " In short , the choices to be made in the coming weeks will define exactly how the rail system should look : where the stations will go and when each would be built , how many tracks the trains would use and how often commuters could catch a ride . Trustees also have to settle on their financing plan for the next decade , showing the federal government convincing evidence that the agency will be able to help pay for the rail system through transit taxes and rail fares . TTA has spent nearly a decade researching station locations and funding options . This summer , the agency received more than 200 written and oral public comments at a series of meetings on the rail proposal . Now the agency must compile all its information into a federal application that could run more than 450 pages . The first phase would include 16 stations between downtown Durham and Raleigh . Expansions to Raleigh - Durham International Airport , northern Wake County and Chapel Hill will be considered in future applications . Trustees , who are appointed by local governments in Wake , Durham and Orange counties , will hold a daylong workshop today to determine the exact locations for the stops in Raleigh , Cary , Morrisville and Durham . A vote is expected on stations that have no opposition , but decisions on controversial sites might not come until December . Neighbors in the historic Raleigh neighborhood of Boylan Heights , for example , think one of the proposed stops would bring too much noise and visual clutter to the community . And residents looking at the redevelopment of the Few Gardens public housing project in east Durham are debating the best site for the Alston Avenue station . " By no means is it a done deal , " said Jim Ritchey , TTA' s general manager . " There are real complexities in a project of this magnitude that have to be worked out before it can go forward . " For the Federal Transit Administration to offer the money , it has to agree that it shares TTA' s views on financing and construction . But if the federal agency learns of controversy , it could be much less inclined to invest the needed dollars . So recent conversations have been focused on quelling any disputes over the rail system and its details . Duke University had refused to allow a stop near its medical center on Durham ' s Erwin Road , for example , but TTA officials recently persuaded the school to let them include the station in the federal application . "There was a point at which they didn ' t want to be included in Phase I , " Willis said of the Duke station . Now , she said , " it might be built last , but it can be built as part of this process . " Still , problems remain on other details . Aside from the concerns about where to put the rail stops , TTA hasn ' t reached a final contract with the N . C . Railroad to use the corridor . The two sides came to an agreement in the spring and expected to sign off on it in May , but that hasn ' t happened , said Bill Bell , director of the TTA board of trustees . " Before we get FTA [ approval ] , we have to have assurances we can operate in the corridor , " he said . " We haven ' t gotten that yet . " 1 of 2 10/30/2001 2 : 38 PM ws & Observer(Print Friendly) : http : //www . . . news/triangle/Story/832092p - 821552c . html http : //cgi . newsobserver. com/standuig/help/tools/_scripts/friendly-print . egi 16 The Triangle is competing for a limited pool of transit funds against about 200 other communities , including many larger cities such as Chicago , Houston and , closer to home , Charlotte . Only 10 percent will receive money . Part of the application means proving that TTA and the state will pay their fair share . This year' s state budget included at least $ 30 million for Triangle transit in the next three years , and Ritchey expects more will be appropriated after 2004 . To pay its share , the TTA expects to bring in $ 75 million in taxes on rental cars and borrow another $ 100 million . That money would be repaid in part by rail fares , which have not been set . Rail boosters say they are confident in their odds of winning more federal funding . North Carolina ' s congressional delegation has offered strong support , Ritchey said . Of the communities that have asked for money , the Federal Transit Administration has ranked only a few dozen communities as " highly recommended " or " recommended . " The TTA project is " recommended . " And the federal government already has sent nearly $ 39 million to the Triangle for research and right- of-way acquisition . But anything could happen , Willis warned . " We are competing against other cities , and we better have our act together or we ' re going to get nothing , " she said . Closer to home , trustees say they' re trying to weigh arguments on many of the more controversial station locations . Many residents in Raleigh ' s Boylan Heights are unhappy with a proposal to put the downtown station at the railroad y" at Martin Street and Boylan Avenue . Derrick G . Weaver said he doesn ' t want the noi " se or visual obstruction of a train so near a historic neighborhood . Instead , Weaver and others suggest pushing the station a block north to another proposed site between Morgan and Hargett streets . That option costs more money , though , because of the track configuration . Trustees have heard worries from Morrisville leaders about whether a station there would bring noise and air pollution . At Durham ' s Alston Avenue site , residents also are debating the best location . Willie Jones , who is leading a federally funded redevelopment of the Few Gardens public housing project , said he wants to see a station with good street frontage on Alston . But one possibility was ruled out because it would displace a new BP service station . Another , still being considered , would mean razing a low- income apartment complex north of the tracks , Jones said . "When you start taking away low- income housing , you have legitimate public policy problems , " he said . " I understand the concerns . " Staff writer Barbara Barrett can be reached at 956 -2433 or bbarrett6dnewsobserver . com BACK © Copyright 2000 , The News & Observer. All material found on newsobserver . com is copyrighted The News & Observer and associated news services . No material may be reproduced or reused without explicit permission from The News & Observer . ) f 2 10/30/2001 2 : 38 PM w.sTY' Sundays a � October 21, 2001 Commissioners look, , ., , ` ; t ' v at leaf burnin ban _ n . . ;4 . : 0 - ; ! v k ,rr I. ` for solid waste law t {r j. •' Board member cites air collect leaves a couple of times a > . , r- pollution concerns •fzre y � Brown said. ` 41 , "There are alternatives to , � f chief calls it "'a a nuisance burning," she said. "I think it's an educational process for people to z •, { . see there are alternatives to that." ,: By ROB SHAPARD Brown also conceded that she , F' `` `• ;;r ; ; :: .. chh@herald-sun.com; 732-6397 3 . and her husband used to bum � � ;_ . ��r • , leaves at their home on Smith ;'' HILLSBOROUGH — No matter Level Road. They now pile the how beautiful tree leaves get this leaves up and let them decompose. _ •` ' time of year, at some point, they've "[The smoke] was something we _ got to fall. didn't want to inflict on our 1 • . r 4 And when they do, piling up and neighbors. And I didn't want our burning the leaves remains a - ' neighbors to inflict it on us." „ favorite disposal method among � some residents throughout the Leaf burningalso affects fire :* „�•�''�' county. The smell of fall is crisp, departments in the county, Orange -� �_; . ,�., * A, r° Rural Fire Chief Jeff Cabe said. 4 _ earthy air, but it's also the T ' "It does become a nuisance to us, yt:w '; "" " ; �r yet : j distinctive smoke of a leaf fire. � r a .•w Orange County Commissioners because we get a lot of calls r may try to address the practice as reporting smoke in the area, and s ;�► :,� ; ' E :� - we don't know goinginto it ' " Part of a solid-waste ordinance now whether it's a hus fire or under consideration. x. The ordinance which is something going on," Cabe said. scheduled for a public hearing next "From time to time, they turn ' y ? 4, dh b fir es res because the win month, deals in part with construe- into woo . •:i ` �. „ +� � � _ �� tjon and demolition materials such picks up, and you have people who r x , are inexperienced, " heAsaid: "Arid ' • s ' 1 as metal and wood waste. It would '� � x � _ - - then a lot of times you have + " - 4 ban such materials from the neighbors who can't et along " x y county slandfill for construction g g g - �`- ' � j and demolition debris on Eubanks because of the leaf burning." TT County resident Robert Cearnal Road. kk _ as already has burned leaves twice The ordinance also would ban open burning of debris from land this year from the dozen or so clearing for subdivisions, such as maple trees that shade his home on HERALD SUN PHorosiwnLr uNKs tree stumps and branches. N.C. 86, just north of Hillsborough. Maple leaves blanket the ground Saturday (above) at Robert Cearnal 's But the ordinance in its current Cearnal, 83, said he used to rake property north of Hillsborough . Cearnal , 83 (below) , displays the Open form doesn't cover leaf burning. and haul his leaves to the roadside Burning Permit that lets him burn leaves. But Orange County At an Oct. 1 meeting, Orange please see BURNING/PAGE 16 Commissioners might ban leaf burning as a part of a new ordinance . Commissioner Margaret Brown said the commissioners should consider adding leaf burning. She called the practice "old- fashioned" and she said people " need to learn to mulch leaves rather than add to air pollution. �' �n Brown said a system for fi � '� ' complaints about leaf burning . , could be set up. Commissioners Chairman Steve ,. ' F . Halkiotis agreed that leaf burning presented problems, especially in ' areas changing from rural to �f ,V: . « , urban, and the commissioners r tik+ •-a BURNING I don t have any asked staff to come back with ideas FROM PAGE 1 other way to get rid of on how to address it in the solid- •. s . waste ordinance. them but to burn County Manager John Link Jr. 1, tiPP itbefore burning them, but his them. " joked during the meeting that the em.Z System now is largely motorized. smoke along St. Mary's Road gets ` "l - � '. ° He blows the leaves do wn the so bad on some fall days that he . �_ ° '` ` 3` + with a blower attached to his hill Robert Cearnal can barely see the road as he 1 i t \ I't drives out of town after work, r ; lawnmower and then rakes them to Orange County resident Commissioner Barry Jacobs r . �• . �, �, 4. , the back of his house with another agreed the issue needed attention, it 't. , T + _ attachment. but he said the county should not Cearnal, who wore jeans, along- leaves on Friday, he'll likely have to become the "leaf police. " j U �1 .• sleeved shirt and a ballcap from burn again, considering the fresh Brown said Saturdaythat she li V. Ramsey s Body Shop in northern t � carpet of brilliant-yellow maple wasn't advocating a ban as much as p i. t:` 3 Orange County, was putting his leaves on his side yard, new options for dealing with ll q lawnmower back in a shed "I don't have any other way to leaves. Steps could include offering ± �, ; 5 r h ' ` Saturday afternoon. In his truck, he get rid of them but to burn them, " more information on mulching and �� � had an open-burning permit from he said. "I'm 83 years old. I can 't do even having the count i t , �'� `perhaps g y z e xz the state Division of Forest much carrying. If they stop me set Ill IN Resources that he got at a garden from burning, I'd have to hire store just up the highway, w someone to carry them off, and I'd Although he had burned a pile of be in trouble." i