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13 <br /> Department, in conjunction with staff from the Recreation and Parks Department. <br /> Planning staff have been and would continue to be involved in the design project <br /> for the park, but the primary responsibility for park design lies within ERCD and <br /> Recreation and Parks. Staff has always envisioned that future trail development <br /> (in future phases of the park) would include interpretive trails with an <br /> environmental education component. There is some limited opportunity for <br /> interpretive trails in the short loop portions of trails proposed for Phase I <br /> (although this might impact the cost of the project), but would more likely be <br /> addressed in a more meaningful way in trails in future phases of the park along <br /> the stream corridors. Staff would be glad to look at possibilities for the trail in <br /> Phase I and resultant costs. Comments and advice from area naturalists, including <br /> those currently serving on County advisory boards, would be welcomed. <br /> 13. The only trails planned for Phase I would likely be of an unpaved, woodland <br /> nature trail. County staff has already incorporated the Town of Chapel Hill's <br /> Rustic Woodland Trail concept into County park planning, via the 1999 .Joint <br /> Master Recreation and Parks report (for example, the Northern Chapel Hill <br /> Township Rustic Woodland Trail is based on this trail type, and is a current <br /> project for land acquisition and eventual construction, tying together existing <br /> trails in the Towns, Duke Forest and TLC's .Johnson Mill Preserve). Future phases <br /> of the park would include additional trails as well as a section of a Town of <br /> Carrboro greenway-the .Tones Creek Greenway, The Town would specify the <br /> trail surface and type for this greenway and may also make recommendations <br /> regarding the other trail surfaces, but the County's intent for other trails in future <br /> phases of the park is to pursue an ecologically-friendly unpaved surface trail <br /> network. <br /> 15. One of the original design principles of the site was to design with an <br /> "Olmsteadian" vision for portions of the site to accommodate flexible open spaces <br /> and buffer active uses from other uses, This has been incorporated into the master <br /> plan, with over 50% of the park to be left in stream buffers and vegetated areas, <br /> with buffers between the educational campus and playing fields, the meadow area <br /> and planning fields, the farmstead/play areas and playing fields, and others. Staff <br /> feels this concept has been a basic operating principle in the design and would <br /> continue to be so as the site is built. Any specific suggestions on new viewshed <br /> opportunities, in addition to those shown in the master plan, would be welcomed. <br /> 19. Staff has already discussed the need for environmentally-friendly construction <br /> methods, and would pursue in conjunction with the County's legal requirements <br /> for construction bids and awards. <br /> Other U 8 <br /> 18. The concept of allowing for private donations toward specific projects on the site <br /> is one that may have relevance beyond Twin Creeks. Staff recommends this topic <br /> receive further study with a subsequent report to the Board. <br />