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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 13, 2006 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 5 <br />SUBJECT: Proposed Memorandum of Understanding -Haw River Trail Corridor <br />DEPARTMENT: ERCD PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Proposed MOU David Stancil, 245-2598 <br />PURPOSE: To consider entering into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the State <br />of North Carolina (Division of Environment and Natural Resources) (NCDENR) and other local <br />governments regarding planning for a Haw River Trail Corridor. <br />BACKGROUND: On February 9, the Board received an update on planning for the future <br />Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) Corridor by the State Division of Parks and Recreation and other <br />stakeholder groups. <br />An adjunct to this effort has been underway with the proposed Haw River Trail Corridor. This <br />corridor would link the planned new Haw River State Park (north of Greensboro) to Jordan Lake <br />State Recreation Area. While still at a very conceptual stage, this corridor might include a <br />combination of paddle, hiking and/or multi-use trails between these two State parks. <br />The proposed MOU would encourage the preservation of the trail corridor, for which a <br />conceptual plan is being created. The MOU would seek to clarify a unified vision for the <br />corridor through a "Haw River Trail Governmental Agency Partnership," with NCDENR, <br />Alamance County, Guilford County, Chatham County, Orange County, Rockingham County, the <br />cities of Burlington, Graham, Haw River and Swepsonville, and Piedmont Triad COG. <br />Orange County has a short segment of the Haw River, approximately two miles in length, along <br />the County's southwest boundary. It is not known at this time whether any land trails would be <br />proposed for the northeast (Orange County) side of the Haw River. <br />The MOU would obligate the parties to work together to develop a plan, solicit thoughts and <br />ideas from citizens and organizations, develop trail standards, naming and signage, and explore <br />opportunities to acquire land for public access to the trail. It would also authorize the NCDENR <br />to serve as the coordinator of activities toward the corridor identification among the parties, <br />although implementation of the trail would be left to the agency that owns the lands through <br />