Orange County NC Website
Memo <br />TO: James Selkirk, Orange County Planning Board Member <br />Cc: Craig Benedict, Planning Director <br />Gene Bell, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor <br />From: Slade�lVlcCalip, Transportation Planner <br />Dais: 03/19/99 <br />Re: Implementation Schedule for Orange County Bicycle Transportation Element if adopted by <br />BOCC on April 6, 1999 <br />During the Planning Board meeting on March 4, 1999 you raised a very good question about what <br />actions would need to be taken to implement the proposed Bicycle Transportation Element of the <br />Comprehensive Plan if adopted by the County Commissioners. This memo is intended to provide you <br />with an outline of the actions that need to become part of the Bicycle Coordinators (or whomevers) <br />work program to implement the Bike Plan. <br />Page 15, Section IV Implementation of the Draft Orange County Bicycle Transportation Plan, notes <br />that the following actions must be accomplished by the year 2000 (e.g., in 8 months) "Change local. <br />regional. and state laws plans programs and policies° to be more bicycle compatible. To give <br />you an idea of what this means I have developed the following broad overview of what needs to be <br />accomplished: <br />LOCAL (ORANGE COUNM CHANGES NEEDED: <br />LAWS: This would include amending the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations (and other <br />regulations & ordinances as necessary). Proposed changes would include provisions such as "end of <br />trip facilities" (i.e., bike racks, etc), "pave backs" (pavement provided at the end of gravel roads and <br />driveway accesses onto bike routes), incorporating the adopted routes into the official maps for each <br />plan, ordinance and regulation. <br />PLANS: This would include amending the Comp Plan further to insure that land uses are compatible <br />with the Bike Plan, the EDD Manual to insure its provisions are compatible with the Comp Plan's Bike <br />Element, and possibly amending the Joint Planning Area Plan in cooperation with Carrboro and Chapel <br />Hill to insure that cycling is accommodated. A Bicycle Element should also be developed for the <br />Master Recreation and Parks Plan. The most significant amendments necessary are the development <br />and adoption of new Functional Classifications and Access Management Guidelines. These will <br />provide the necessary connections between the growth of land use development and its interaction <br />with the highway system. <br />PROGRAMS: Education and training programs would need to be institutionalized in the school <br />systems for elementary, middle and high school students. Drivers education classes should include <br />blocks of instruction on NC Bicycle Laws. Adult education classes need to be provided to teach <br />emergency bicycle maneuvers and how to use a bicycle for transportation purposes (e.g., ride in <br />traffic). Helmet promotions should be held. Bicycle Tourism promotion needs to be instituted after <br />Orange County becomes more bicycle friendly and has developed a system of recreational routes. <br />• Page 1 <br />