Minutes 09-18-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I have understanding and respect for the uneasiness that some neighbors from the aera have even though the trail will not be on their personal property. I come from a farm background too and we lived far apart and privately, thanks to the land of others. My 20 years in land conservation in Orange County and the Greenways Commission in Chapel Hill, further taught me the important of addressing that fear of invasion of privacy by fully answering all questions. I understand that has happened. Perhaps a visit to Falls Lake link or other western links in the trail would be reassuring to those who are still uneasy. The Cane Creek trail link is a tiny but sparkling component in an ambitious and wonderful vision of a 930-mile trail from Pilot Mountain to Jockey's Ridge. I sincerely hope that we will contribute a small piece of our gem to "Trail Trickle" through the scenic Piedmont." Carl Shy read a prepared statement. "Re: Section of Mountains to Sea Trail Proposed for OWASA Property at Cane Creek "My name is Carl Shy. I own property whose southern border is approximately 2,000 feet from the proposed MTS trail through OWASA property. I am strongly in favor of the location of this section of the trail, which will pass through some of the most beautiful parts of Orange County, containing a dense and large variety of native trees and shrubs, rolling landscape and views of the Cane Creek Reservoir. At present most of this OWASA property, other than the waters of the reservoir, are not accessible for public use and enjoyment. I believe that my neighbors will value living close to and having the use of this wonderful recreational asset. Three concerns are commonly raised by persons living near public trails: safety (including crime and trespassing), littering, and decline of property values. Regarding safety, a number of studies have been published on the Internet. One study in particular, performed by the Rail-to-Trail Conservancy, received responses to survey questions from managers of 372 rail-to-trails throughout the U. S. Overall, the results showed that the rate of major crimes is extremely low on trails compared with rates in comparable nearby urban, suburban and rural locations. Likewise, minor crimes such as trespassing and graffiti were similarly relatively rare and far less common then in comparable areas. Littering of a minor nature was reported as occurring on only '/4 of the trails. A number of neighborhood groups near trails were organized to monitor sections of trails and to perform periodic clean up. Overall, littering was not considered to be a problem issue. According to evaluations by real estate agents, proximity to trails had no negative effect on property values, and in some cases proximity to trails was considered an asset in the sale of a home. Some recommendations have been proposed in the literature for minimizing potential problems with safety, littering and trespassing: 1) Do not allow motor vehicles on trails. Law enforcement officers say a potential criminal is often deterred from criminal action when he/she does not have the use of an escape vehicle. 2) Keep the trail clean and well maintained. This discourages littering and other types of trail abuses. 3) Foster the organization of volunteer community or neighborhood trail patrols to perform periodic inspection and clean up of trails. The majority of rail-to-trail locations have developed some type of patrol organizations." Allan Green lives on the corner of Dairyland and Orange Grove Road. He said that he is an enthusiastic backpacker and he wished he lived on the MTST. He is the Bingham Township representative of the Parks and Recreation Board. He has also hiked the entire