Minutes - 20091013 Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

5) Does the Board agree with focusing initial efforts in the vicinity of the County's Seven Mile Creek Preserve? If the Board sees the MST as a priority, staff feels that the Seven Mile Creek Preserve may be a fitting place to start. Focusing initial attention on the MST segment in the Seven Mile Creek portion of the Upper Eno Watershed is suggested for several reasons: a) The County already owns nearly 300 acres for the Seven Mile Creek Preserve, and the planned MST corridor would travel through that property. b) ERCD is in contact with four landowners who are interested in selling or donating land for the Preserve. Three are key properties adjacent to County-owned land, and one of these priorities has been negotiated and is planned for the October 20 Board agenda. c) State funds for land acquisition are likely to be earmarked for Orange County once the state budget situation improves. State Parks staff has indicated a preference for the Seven Mile Creek area because the County has already acquired land in that area and is within reach of other public lands. d) As noted in the budget service reduction materials from last spring, while a lull in park master planning is anticipated during 2009-10, staff did anticipate the need to begin at least internal efforts toward developing a master plan for Seven Mile Creek Preserve, which would identify recommended future boundaries, access points, recreation sites, natural and historical points of interest, and the future MST corridor. Finally, as has been noted in previous Lands Legacy Action Plans, the Seven Mile Creek Preserve, when viewed in the larger context of preservation in the Neuse (Falls Lake) basin, offers an opportunity as a gateway for linking conservation areas to the north, potentially expanding the formal conservation of land northward along the Eno River to include several existing permanent conservation "nodes." ERCD staff will be available to answer questions and to provide additional information about these issues at the October 13 work session. Commissioner Pelissier asked how many miles the trail would be if it started at Seven Mile Creek. She said that the Commission for the Environment does set priorities for the Lands Legacy program and she is curious to know where the Mountains to Sea Trail is on the priority list. Dave Stancil said that the MST has been on the Commission for the Environment priority list for a while. Regarding the mileage at Seven Mile Creek, he would say about 2-4 miles. The Board agreed to move forward with this endorsement of the general alignment. Commissioner Gordon would like to get feedback from the Commission for the Environment with respect to the Lands Legacy Program. Commissioner Yuhasz asked about a sample resolution and Dave Stancil said that he would communicate with OWASA first and then communicate to the Board.