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4 <br /> <br />Mountains to the Sea Trail Petition <br /> <br />To: Board of County Commissioners <br />From: Local Friends of Mountains to the Sea Trail <br />Date: December 4, 2017 <br />RE: Petition for Mountains to the Sea Trail, Cane Creek area section <br /> <br />Since 2009, the County and residents have been discussing an Orange County route for the <br />Mountains to the Sea Trail (MST). On September 16, 2017, the Commissioners received a <br />report from staff on the status of the planning process and took public comment. Since then, <br />staff has followed up with a report outlining the status on 1) the physical route for the trail, 2) <br />public communications about the trail, and 3) the acceptance of previously offered easements, <br /> <br />We are here tonight to urge you to take the following actions: <br /> <br />1. Officially adopt the Orange County MST trail route from the Haw River Trail in <br />Saxapahaw to the Pleasant Green/Eno River in eastern Orange County connector at <br />your December 12, 2017 meeting. The route will include: <br />a. Interim road sections, including the connection from Bradshaw Quarry Road, <br />along Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Road to the Haw River Trail until a land route can <br />be formalized. The Alamance County Parks staff supports this route as they <br />work to complete the land acquisition needed to connect the current Haw River <br />Trail section to Morrow Mill Road. <br />b. OWASA property <br />c. Three currently offered easements on private land, with others currently being <br />considered and/or negotiated. <br /> <br />2. Before the end of February 2018, officially accept the three (or more) easements being <br />offered within the officially designated route. <br /> <br />3. By the end of March 2018, formally establish a relationship between Orange County and <br />the Friends of the MST which will include: <br />a. Trail building <br />b. Advocacy <br /> <br /> <br />Chair Dorosin said he would like more information back from staff about this <br />petition. He asked David Stancil, Department of the Environment, Agriculture, Parks and <br />Recreation (DEAPR) Director, and Bonnie Hammersley to bring this information back. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked if this information could be brought back by <br />December 12th <br />Commissioner Price said asked if staff would engage the property owners who <br />are willing to donate easements. <br /> <br />b. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br />(These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda <br />below.) <br /> <br />3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members