Orange County NC Website
<br />Vern Miller, Little River Township, expressed concern that <br />the citizens have not been heard; he felt if this had been <br />the case, the subject of greenways would have been deleted <br />from the proposal after the November, 1987 public hearing <br />since greenways was the point of opposition at that time. <br />Mr. Miller continued that.he felt that the-Plan should be <br />tabled until such time as the budget could be brought under <br />control where taxes would not have tv be continually raised <br />to take care of present expenditures. <br />Josephine Barbour, Eno Township resident, expressed concern <br />that the Eno River State Park which consists of 1200 acres in <br />Orange County and 800 acres in Durham County, had not been <br />listed by any of those speaking about local or area parks. <br />She expressed concern that her family property. has been under <br />the threat of condemnation far the past .fifteen years and <br />have been through three court battles in order to preserve <br />that family land. She stated that the land can be c$h~emned <br />from a health standpoint or the welfare of others. <br />indicated that the public meetings she had attended did not. <br />address funding and when the question regarding funding was <br />asked, she was told that it was not being discussed. She <br />stated that trails along the river were discussed as long <br />ago as fifteen years and the width of those trails was <br />thought to be fifteen to twenty feet wide. Those trails <br />actually have to be fifty feet wide in order far rescue <br />vehicles to be able to access them if necessary. Later on, <br />this same linear park was to become a part of the mountain to <br />the sea trail. Ms. Barbour expressed concern that to build <br />the trails outside of the floodplains would include removing <br />trees in order to provide fifty foot trails and this would <br />not be preserving but destroying land and the habitat for <br />wildlife. She expressed concern with security noting that in <br />the past that police officers had told citizens to "know <br />their neighbors" but how could one know their neighbors when <br />the land is open to the public. She concluded with the <br />concern of how to keep people on the greenways and away from <br />private property. <br />Stewart Barbour expressed concern that condemnation would <br />take place in order to acquire land for greenways and gave <br />the following statement from the Eno River Group to the Hoard <br />of Commissioners: <br />"Few doubt Eno River should be saved, <br />Few think Eno can be saved, <br />A few think a state park will save Eno River, <br />A few think a greenway will save Eno River, <br />A few think a mountain to sea trail will save Eno River, <br />Many think a park, greenway, mountain to sea trail will <br />indeed save Eno from a much needed reservoir at Cabes <br />