Minutes - 20090210 Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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Background In late 2008, the Board asked staff to look into a linear park concept using some of the existing funds for Twin Creeks Park from the 2001 Parks and Open Space bond. In January 2009, a letter was received from the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) supporting the improvement of a "dirt trail" or path that exists for walkers but not for children on bikes or in strollers. There is no trail, but staff believes what is being referenced in the letter is the OWASA sewer line easement, which was cleared several months back and is just now starting to come back in grass. On January 22nd, several citizens spoke at the Board meeting in support of a trail connecting to the school. It should be noted that the two concepts above may not be the same. A linear park typically connotes a more "finished" feel, with a paved trail over graded subsurface base, landscaped shoulders and benches and/or picnic tables. A natural surface, mulch or gravel trail may or may not involve the same components. The adopted Twin Creeks Master Plan (May 2005) envisions two eventual trails in this area — 1) a trail along the west side of Jones Creek that would be part of a future Carrboro greenway system, and 2) a more formal school-to-neighborhood connector trail (known as the "redline" trail), which conforms to the OWASA easement in the middle of the property - but veers away from the easement at both ends as it moves north to the school, and south towards to the planned park entry road. The Town of Carrboro's Parks and Greenways Master Plan reflects a greenway trail along Jones Creek. This plan was developed prior to Morris Grove Elementary (and the Twin Creeks master plan), and does not reflect a connection there. The Town currently has a consultant looking at connecting existing trails in Lake Hogan Farms through intervening properties to Twin Creeks. Approximately $1.48 million is unencumbered from the Twin Creeks project budget. This includes prior appropriations for the Phase I park project design and engineering, and stabilization work to the farmstead approved in June 2008. Some of the remaining design and engineering funds could be redirected to a trail project (if changes to the approved project contract scope can be negotiated), possibly increasing the available funds. The total amount includes funds added to the Twin Creeks project budget from the Soccer Superfund. Approximately $625,000 of that amount is included in the $1.48 million figure above. The Newly Proposed Trail on Twin Creeks Property A trail on the Twin Creeks property to connect from the property's southern terminus to Morris Grove Elementary within the sewer easement would span approximately 3350 feet (or 2/3 mile). A trail that conformed to the Twin Creeks master plan "redline" trail would run west of the Jones Creek sewer easement on the southern potion of the site and then east of the easement as it nears the school. A small portion of the middle of the two trails are in the same location, but most of the "redline" trail would be outside of the sewer easement. The total distance of the two trails is nearly identical. The attached map shows these different trail concepts.