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1 ~ <br />MEMORANDUM <br />T0: Mayor and Town Council <br />FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager <br />SUBJECT: Recommendations Concerning Orange County Property on Mazkham Drive <br />DATE: April 12, 1999 <br />The attached resolution would communicate to the Orange County Boazd of Commissioners that <br />the Town sees no conflict with Town greenway plans if the County negotiates to sell a parcel it <br />owns on Mazkham Drive. <br />BACKGROUND <br />In 1985 the County acquired a 1.15-acre tract of property on Markham Drive, identified as <br />Chapel Hill Tax Map 42, Block A, lot 17, as part of a tax forfeiture. Recently, a citizen interested <br />in purchasing the lot has approached the County Commissioners. The County is awaze that the <br />property adjoins Town-owned land and has sent a letter to the Mayor asking that the Council <br />comment on how the property may fit into the future plans for Town property in this area. Please <br />see the attached letter from Commissioner Gordon. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The Town cuaently owns two parcels along Booker Creek, north of the existing Greenway Trail <br />that connects Tadley Drive and Daley Road. Please see the attached map. The lazger tract <br />includes the planned location of part of the Lower Booker Creek Trail, now in the planning <br />phase. The Council has approved a land trade as part of the Lower Booker Creek Trail project <br />that, later this month, will place the smaller tract in private ownership. <br />The County property is adjacent to, but not part of the Greenways system described in the <br />Town's current Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan. Several informal trails have been <br />developed by residents that connect the current Town property, the Orange County property, and <br />Eastwood Lake. These trails are not part of the Town' formal trail system and in at least one <br />location a resident has constructed a fence to restrict access. <br />If the Orange County lot is developed, the current users of the informal trail on that property <br />would have to walk an additional 400.500 feet along Markham Drive to gain access to Town <br />property. This access would be via the existing Phase I of the Lower Booker Creek Trail. <br />