Agenda - 03-20-2001-9g - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 20, 2001 Action Agenda Item No. Q_ a SUBJECT: Use and Access Plan -McGowan Creek Preserve DEPARTMENT: ERCD PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Property Orthophoto (1993) David Stancil, ext 2590 Use and Access Plan for the McGowan Rich Shaw, ext 2591 Creek Preserve TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Use and Access Guidelines Hillsborough 732-81$1 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 (Previously Discussed October 17, 2000) Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider a staff proposal for the future public use and access for the McGowan Creek Preserve, a new 63-acre County park located west of Hillsborough on US 70, and general guidelines for a Use and Access Policy for County natural area parklands. BACKGROUND: On March 31, 2000, Orange County purchased this former piece of Duke Forest from Duke University. The tract was acquired with a matching grant from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund for watershed protection and the provision of open space in an urbanizing area along the US 70 corridor. One requirement of the grant is that 300-foot riparian buffers be preserved with a conservation easement held by the State of North Carolina. The property, now termed the McGowan Creek Preserve, is adjacent to Corporation Lake in the critical area of the Upper Eno watershed.. Attached is a proposed plan for the development and use of the property for limited public recreation. It was revised from an earlier draft that the BOCC received on October 17, 2000 and requested changes. The plan includes staffs thoughts on an entrance driveway, parking area, restroom, walking trails and signage. The plan calls for construction of a tum lane to facilitate access to the property from US 70 West. (Staff is also discussing with NC DOT the need for a tum lane or median cut for cars traveling east on US 70). While no funds are currently allocated for park development, planning for future public use can be accomplished at this time. (Trail construction, however, can proceed with existing staff and volunteers.) Because of the site's location in a watershed critical area and the County's interest in protecting the natural state of the property, only limited development for public use is proposed outside of the conservation easement area. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Developing the site for these public uses will require future expenditures of County funds, which are as yet unbudgeted. The estimated cost for site development is about $65,000-- .including tum lane(s) ($33,000); entrance gate, driveway and parking area ($14,000), toilet facility and trash receptacles ($15,000) and signage ($3,000). Possible