Orange County NC Website
31 <br /> <br />• From 2016-17 discussions/meetings, MST master plan swath, map analysis <br />• Work with willing landowners <br />• Have spoken with landowners both interested and not interested <br />• Actual trail may vary, or have “connector” along public road for some period of time <br /> <br />FAQ <br />• Process: 2 years, 3 community meetings, 5 facilitator meetings, 3 Board reports <br />• Liability: State law provides protection to landowners from trespassing <br />• Costs: Much of the cost of the trail will be from State grants and in-kind trail work <br />• Emergency Services Plan required first <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />• Approve the map with Proposed/Existing Trail line <br />• Report back on Multi-Modal Trail and OWASA conversations <br />• Provide regular updates and information <br /> <br />PUBLIC COMMENT: <br />Brenda McCall read the following letter: <br /> <br />Dear Commissioners: <br /> <br />Despite repeated requests to be removed from the MST route, we all just recently received <br />letter indicating that the County wants to move forward with the MST, routed along our <br />properties. <br /> <br />We are writing to once again request that our properties (listed below) be removed from the <br />map and that the trail be re-routed. We represent a block of landowners along Cane Creek <br />from Borland Road to Buckhorn Road and will not give the County permission to route the trail <br />on our land. Therefore, it is inconceivable for the project to move forward along the proposed <br />route. Please note that some of our properties have been in continuous family ownership for <br />generations, <br /> <br />We do not oppose the overall project. We are simply uninterested in hosting the trail. That <br />said, after years of discussions with the County, facilitators and others, and repeated requests <br />to be removed from the map, the map has not changed and alternatives have not been <br />explored. There has never been a working session exclusively with neighbors. Instead we are <br />repeatedly asked to attend meetings dominated by MST advocates drowning out the voice of <br />local impacted property owners. <br /> <br />Please appreciate that this community has already done a great deal for Orange County. We <br />have given up thousands of acres of heritage farmland, and property development rights in <br />order to protect Cane Creek Reservoir. As currently conceived, the trail provides little benefits <br />to us but the risks are high. There are alternative routes and uses (especially for cyclists) that <br />would serve more people and be safer for everyone. Sadly there has been little attempt to <br />explore them. <br /> <br />So once again, we will not give the County permission to route the trail on our properties and <br />therefore would like the trail to be routed elsewhere. Please reject the proposed routing for the <br />MST and direct staff to explore alternatives. We would be happy to assist staff in working with <br />neighbors to plan alternatives.