Orange County NC Website
There are three basic issue categories that must be addressed to implement this idea: <br /> 1. Connection/Parking Issues <br /> 2. Cost/Town Approval Issues <br /> 3. Operation, Maintenance, Security and Safety Issues <br /> Questions / Issues <br /> Lack of Connection to South/Parking —The County's Twin Creeks property does not <br /> connect to Lake Hogan Farms. Any trail would need to traverse and have the legal agreement <br /> of other properties (as shown on the attached map). The Town of Carrboro indicates they are <br /> currently engaged in greenway planning that could result in discussions with these property <br /> owners, but the timing of this is not currently known. Until there is legal access and a trail on <br /> one of these properties, any trail built on the County's land would terminate onto private <br /> property and not connect to the south. A possible interim solution could involve a looped <br /> end to the trail at the southern end of the Twin Creeks site, where benches and perhaps <br /> signage might be situated, with trail users then returning to Morris Grove School along the trail. <br /> It is assumed that any parking needed for the trail use would come from the school parking lot. <br /> Cost/Town Approval Issues — Sufficient funding may exist to construct the linear park as a <br /> 10-foot paved trail with span pedestrian bridge on the Twin Creeks site — and still allow for the <br /> potential use of Soccer Superfund monies elsewhere. As noted above, a paved version of a <br /> permanent greenway trail is estimated to cost approximately $850,000. However, the Town of <br /> Carrboro will need to answer several questions in order to evaluate this further. <br /> • Will the Town insist on this type of paved trail, or allow for the less-expensive Option 1 <br /> (an interim trail in the easement and stream buffer)? Either option may require waiving <br /> some stream buffer rules and other ordinance provisions (and perhaps federal <br /> floodplain exemption). <br /> • How much additional grading and subsurface work will be required (which significantly <br /> increases costs) for a non-paved interim trail? Will the trail be required to be ADA- <br /> accessible (this affects the trail surface decision)? <br /> • Will the Town allow for an interim (Eagle Scout-type) bridge in the short-term? <br /> • Can this be accomplished in advance of the future approval process for the park? An <br /> interlocal agreement for this project may be an option. <br /> Operation, Maintenance Security and Safety Issues —An assessment will be needed to <br /> determine whether sufficient staff exist to monitor and maintain the trail on the Twin Creeks <br /> site. This assessment would also need to address the operational costs and expectations. <br /> Additionally, the trail is considerably removed from Old 86 and is in a wooded, undeveloped <br /> natural corridor—with no road connections at present. Will this create safety issues? <br /> Finally, a trail in the sewer easement would link in the middle of the site to the old farm road, <br /> which leads to the barn and outbuildings (where stabilization work is underway). Will this <br /> create security concerns for the buildings, or liability and increased vandalism potential? <br /> Possible Benefits <br /> Showing Results from the 2001 Parks and Open Space Bond —As recently noted, Twin <br /> Creeks is the one project from the 2001 bond where no activity is underway toward <br />