Agenda - 12-12-2017-12-4 - Information Item - Memorandum - Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) – Petition and Next Steps

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5 Staff proposes to undertake the following means of communication: a) An initial mailing to all 379 landowners along or within 1000 feet of the "Proposed Trail" informing them of the results of the community meetings, and the next steps to be taken from the Board's September 19 direction. (Since this mailing will cost an estimated $186, we will also attempt to solicit email addresses for future communications. Notices of any future formal actions would still be sent by mail). b) Send the same communication to our 273-person current email interest list. (There will likely be duplicates with above list.) c) Work with the Community Relations Director for a regular video and/or blog ("This Month on the Orange MST" or similar name) that would be shared and posted to the County website informing residents of MST activities underway and what is planned in the near future. d) This video/blog will also be posted using our social media accounts. As noted at the meeting, the actual trail location may alter as we secure the trail location over the years. Some landowners may decline to sell/convey an easement or land for the MST along our route, requiring a shift in one direction or another. This type of route shift may change the list of landowners along the way. As there was no direction on September 19 to develop a trail on the alternate routes (excepting the multi-modal Chapel Hill-Carrboro to Hillsborough dialogue addressed in Section 4 below), staff does not plan to include these landowners in the mailings, since there are no plans for the trail in their area. If this should change at some point in the future, these landowners could be added to the list. 2. Beginning Phase 11.1 Acquisition and Planning for Trail Construction and Infrastructure The 3-mile segment from Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area (OMSNA) to the County's Seven Mile Creek (Upper Eno) Nature Preserve has been identified as a logical first step for the MST in Orange County jurisdiction. Funding for trail land, construction and amenities is in the County's Capital Investment Plan and the first installment of these funds is now available. The Board authorized staff on September 19 to begin the process of securing the trail land, addressing needed infrastructure and appurtenances, and constructing the trail for this subsegment, which staff is calling Phase 11.1. The County's Land Conservation Manager will begin the process of meeting with the landowners along this Phase and discussing trail easements (or if the landowner prefers, purchase of a trail corridor"strip"). During and after this process, staff will begin other steps toward completing Phase 1.1, including but not limited to: