Agenda - 01-21-2016 - 7-b - Mountains-to-Sea Trail – Master Plan for Segment 11

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2 There are two segments in the MST Master Plan within Orange County. Segment 11 connects the Haw River in Alamance County to Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area southwest of Hillsborough. This segment is proposed to follow the Cane Creek corridor (including OWASA land around Cane Creek Reservoir) and connect to the Eno River at Occoneechee Mountain. This is the segment that must cross over the ridge between the Cape Fear and Neuse river basins. Segment 12 picks up the trail and runs east along Riverwalk in Hillsborough and other public trails on privately-owned conservation lands sites east of town, before entering Eno River State Park on its way to Durham County and Falls Lake. The trail location in Segment 12 between Hillsborough and Durham County is essentially identified and in some places the trail exists. Final efforts to connect the corridor are underway using the Eno River State Park master plan, and as such, no planning effort is needed for this segment. Segment 11, however, contains 7-10 miles of corridor and thus must either cross private land or (in the interim or long-term) utilize public road rights-of-way to connect Orange Water & Sewer Authority-owned lands at Cane Creek Reservoir to the County's Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve. There is also a smaller segment from Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve and the Moorefields historic site across Interstate 85 to Occoneechee Mountain that will need to be planned and built. Using previous discussion, staff has prepared the attached process and timeline to complete the work of locating, securing and building the trail for Segment 11. This plan proposes to begin with community meetings with identified stakeholders and members of the public invited to participate. The trail location or options would then be identified and mapped, with further public review and discussion planned before presenting the Segment 11 plan for Board approval. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The creation of the Segment 11 plan would involve time and resources on the part of staff and stakeholder groups to hold community meetings, prepare maps and trail cross-section designs and develop a plan. Staff from DEAPR will coordinate the trail segment plan effort, but assistance from Planning, the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Services and other departments will also be needed. There are funds in future years for both trail easement acquisition (via the Lands Legacy Program) and trail construction in the adopted CIP. The timing of these funds will be revisited as part of this spring's new CIP consideration as needed based on the Board's action. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following two Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this agenda item: • GOAL: ESTABLISH SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE LAND-USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes and educational levels with respect to the development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, policies, and decisions. Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies.