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Rich Shaw said that the State of North Carolina would like to change the placeholder to <br />amore viable and desirable trail. The State is working with the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea <br />Trail, local governments, and land trusts to identify a more preferred corridor through the central <br />Piedmont area. In October 2005, representatives from Orange and Alamance Counties kicked <br />this effort off and met with the State trails coordinator in Hillsborough. A second workshop was <br />held last week in Hillsborough. There was good participation. He showed the proposed <br />alignments on a map. It appears likely that the Orange County portion going from east to west <br />will pass along the Eno River all the way to Hillsborough. The trail would go through downtown <br />Hillsborough all the way to Occoneechee Mountain. The State representatives are satisfied with <br />this alignment. The area west of Hillsborough is more uncertain. There are several scenarios <br />far this part. The first one goes along the Eno and other tributaries, and the second one is a <br />road shoulder corridor that goes through Efland and to Lake Michael. The second one is less <br />preferable to the group. The proposed trail through Orange County has been discussed at <br />recent meetings of County and Town advisory boards, including the Commission for the <br />Environment, the Recreation and Parks Advisory Council, and the Intergovernmental Parks <br />Work Group. This past December the Town of Hillsborough adopted a resolution <br />recommending that the State of North Carolina select a trail corridor alignment that will <br />incorporate Hillsborough's planned river walk along the Eno. A copy of this resolution is in the <br />agenda packet. Once the trail alignment is decided through Orange County, the cast of <br />acquiring the land where needed and for developing and maintaining the trail system would be <br />shared among various public and private landowners and volunteers. Na one entity would be <br />responsible. Orange County might be a partner in making it happen along with Eno River State <br />Park, Town of Hillsborough, OWASA, and others. At this point, they are looking at a broad <br />alignment to be refined as time goes on. <br />Chair Jacobs asked who would decide the route and Rich Shaw said the State of North <br />Carolina. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that they did see this at the last Intergovernmental Parks <br />Work Group and she said that the last time this was presented to them, there was more <br />complete information. Also, the funding piece is another issue. She said that it would help to <br />have some principles that ERCD would like to send forth. She would like the IP Work Group to <br />look at this again and bring it back to the Board. <br />Chair Jacobs asked the staff to put this on the agenda before they meet with <br />Hillsborough since there will be a financial commitment. He said that it would be appropriate for <br />the IP Work Group to make some recommendations about principles. He wants some more <br />information, such as whether this has been done in the western part of the state. Rich Shaw <br />said that in the brochure it shows some of the gaps where there are not yet designated <br />alignments. <br />Chair Jacobs would like information from the State about how they acquired rights-of- <br />way in counties that are anti-zoning, anti-land use planning, and anti-government regulation. <br />He said that one principle that the Board could embrace is that they do support Hillsborough in <br />wanting to have the trail go through Hillsborough along the Eno River, or they could just leave it <br />until the joint meeting with Hillsborough on February 23rd <br />The Board took this as information and this item will be put on the agenda for the joint <br />meeting with the Town of Hillsborough on February 23rd <br />Commissioner Gordon said that it would be good to get answers to the questions in time <br />for the IP Work Group meeting. <br />Dave Stancil said that they are way ahead of the game on this and the State is nowhere <br />near acquiring properties at this point. He noted that the Cane Creek to Seven Mile Creek <br />connector is in the comprehensive plan as a wildlife corridor. <br />10. Reports <br />