Orange County NC Website
15 <br /> Attachment 5 <br /> Excerpt from Minutes — December 18, 2013 OUTBoard Meeting <br /> Agenda Item IV: Regular Agenda <br /> Draft Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Strategic Action Plan. <br /> OUTBoard Action: This plan has been referred to the OUTBoard by the <br /> BOCC for review, with a request that a recommendation be returned to <br /> the BOCC in time for its February 18, 2014 regular meeting. <br /> Abigaile Pittman gave an overview of the SRTS Plan. <br /> Nancy Baker noted that the numbers are old and suggested staff contact the Board of <br /> Education to see if the schools have updated numbers. <br /> Ted Triebel asked for the maximum distance one way. <br /> Abigaile Pittman responded that the maximum distance is 2 miles. <br /> Paul Guthrie asked about the distance for busing and Don Wollum asked about the greatest <br /> distance for busing. <br /> Abigaile Pittman referred the Board to the map and advised that it shows the traveling <br /> distances. <br /> Nancy Baker advised the Board that the County also buses students based on `hazard' and <br /> literally have students who live across the street from the school who are bussed because it is <br /> not safe for them the cross the road. Additionally this program will make it accessible for <br /> walkers and bikes not only for the elementary students but also for the high school students at <br /> both Cedar Ridge and Orange High School as they are beside two of the chosen elementary <br /> schools. Nancy noted there are also large apartment complexes within easy walking distance <br /> from Grady Brown and some facilities there are going to help a large group of children. She <br /> noted that with Cameron Park being in downtown Hillsborough the benefits will include a lot of <br /> the residents. <br /> Pascale Mittendorf noted that many children within walking distance are driven which creates a <br /> lot of traffic congestion. That is especially a concern with Cameron Park as there a bad corner <br /> on a hill with limited line of sight. It is a dangerous location. <br /> Paul Guthrie commented that he was not involved in the placement of the schools but he was <br /> involved very heavily in the placement of 2 schools in the Chapel Hill district and he does not <br /> remember any time that they talked about the issue of walking to school. He said the only issue <br /> was the driving issue and the only place you could put a school with the acreage required was <br /> out where there aren't any people. He noted that the system has been built where the schools <br /> are located are out away from the towns, so he is very enthusiastic about the request. <br /> Holly Reid agreed that the short term costs of locating schools where it is less expensive but <br /> then there is the great long term cost for busing in the County system. She pointed out that the <br /> project also helps the afterschool and extra-circular activities, and since the facility are available <br /> for public use it also benefits that use not just before and after school but multiple times a day <br /> and weekends. <br />