Orange County NC Website
supportive of this idea, but we should tie this up a little tighter. He noted that Richard <br />Whitehead said that "at this time" there is not a connector road planned an the property. <br />This is critically important. He does not want to see a connector road on this property at <br />any time. <br />Commissioner Carey asked about the amount of the grant from the Clean <br />Water Management Trust Fund and Richard Whitehead said $202,000. Commissioner <br />Carey is in support of this project and the County should have a role in this preservation. <br />He said that Carrboro needs to step up to the plate and help finance this project and he <br />shares the concerns about the connector road. <br />Chair Jacobs agrees with this project and he hopes that the staff will <br />condition our contribution such as no connector road at any time. He would also like to <br />differentiate the area with the Bolin Creek corridor (6 acres). He would like to <br />differentiate haw much of the property is going to be considered greenway and how <br />much will be a park. He would expect the park to be a 50-50 partnership with the <br />County and Carrboro. <br />Public Comment: <br />Dave Otto, Chairman of The Friends of Bolin Creek, said that the area that <br />they are interested in includes the Adams Tract. They think that the Adams Tract is very <br />important. This is the first piece of the puzzle that they want to put together of the Bolin <br />Creek Park and Preserve. They will be coming to the Board in the next few months to <br />share their vision. He has been recently appointed to the Adams Tract Preservation <br />Committee. He urged the Board to approve the request from Carrboro and use bond <br />funding for the purchase of this property. He made reference to the bike paths and said <br />that the bikers use it only as an entryway to other trails. He does not think that the <br />bikers would be interested in the Adams Tract. <br />Marty Mandel said that there are great philosophical differences about the <br />Adams Tract. She is on the committee. She thinks everybody loves the Adams Tract <br />but the problem is how to buy it and what to do with it. She said that this property is sa <br />precious and sa fragile and has potential as a natural study area. This property is for <br />sale and when Carrboro proposed to put public works on this property, such an outcry <br />arose that they dropped the whole idea. She thinks that the idea of a greenway along <br />Bolin Creek is a profound goal that many have had. They foresee coming from Jordan <br />Lake, following a greenway up through Chapel Hill, going under Estes Drive, and coming <br />up through the OWASA easement. This goes up to the high school. Because of the <br />Adams Tract's fragility and the upper area, she proposes that this land should fit into the <br />lands legacy plan and this area should be in perpetual conservation. She cannot see a <br />greenway or destructive use in the future. This property needs to be protected and used <br />as a study area. The greenway could be put on the OWASA easement. She asked for <br />the Board's help in this. She gave a map to the Manager, which shows the Bolin Creek <br />sewer line. <br />Deborah Rigdan is an adjacent property owner to the Adams Tract. She and <br />her husband have managed the Homestead property. This is one of the oldest deeded <br />farms in Orange County and the deed goes back to 1759. She said that this property is <br />very much like it was back in 1759. She said that this property was part of Orange <br />County until 1995 when Carrboro involuntarily annexed it. They are nervous about this <br />property being taken and misguided. Her concern is that this property be protected. <br />She wants guidance and protection to save this property and she asked the Board of <br />County Commissioners to protect this area. <br />Brad Rigdon said that he has been managing this property for 27 years. He <br />would like to urge preservation. He envisions a botanical garden model without the <br />