Minutes 12-04-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 Chair Dorosin, Distinguished Commissioners: I am representing a group of local MST advocates which includes names familiar to you - Glen Greenstreet, Greg and Linda Smith, Terri Bruckner, Ed Johnson, Carl Shy, Luther Livermon and Karen Frey. We have a joint response to Dave Stancil's memo MST – Next Steps, dated October 27. As outlined in this memo, Orange County's "Next Steps" continue to be inadequate, incomplete, and do not reflect the prior clear direction of the BOCC to DEAPR staff to develop a plan for the completion of Section 11. The plan to route the MST from the Haw River to Occonochee Recreation Area has a long history. As far back as 2009 the OWASA board approved the concept of traversing the OWASA property. It was an element in our Orange County P&R Master Plan and the NC State Parks MST master plan. Two years ago, in response to our local group petition, Chair Dorosin and the BOCC requested that P&R staff submit a plan by Jan, 2016 for the Orange County Section of the MST that would connect the Haw River in Alamance county with the Eno River section in Durham county. Commissioner Dorosin actually proposed a list of specifics: • Identification of a route – lines on a map • Securing easements from OWASA and private landowners • Allocating / securing funding the purchase of easements • Working with partners for the use of their properties I had, and I believe you had, every expectation that at the next meeting you would be asked to approve an MST route connecting existing public lands with interim road routes creating a continuous trail from Saxapahaw to the Eno River. Instead you were presented with a "plan for a plan" involving community meetings, OWASA negotiations, trail surveys, and development of a process for obtaining easements. The timeline, which had been requested by Commissioner McKee at the previous meeting, had a July, 2016 completion date. I cannot say nothing has been accomplished. There is work underway on the 7-Mile Creek section of the trail and OC residents are better informed about the MST corridor. But as of tonight (a) no Orange County trail route has been presented for your approval; (b) No easements have been negotiated even though OWASA has (again) approved trail passage, and a number of property owners are ready to give easements (c) You have not been presented with a budget containing funds for MST easements, and (d) there is no work in progress with willing partners. During this same timeframe, Hillsborough has completed the MST section along the Riverwalk, and Alamance county has planned and is well on the way to completing the Haw River trail down to Saxapahaw. Terri Buckner, one of our following speakers, will present a petition for your approval to get Orange County back on track. Thank you, Allan Green Carl Shy said he here representing three landowners that want to donate easements to the MTS, all of which border the present Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) property. He said this offer is being extended at the north and south ends of the property, and it is hoped that this will be acted upon in the near future. Terri Buckner presented and reviewed the following MTS petition: