Minutes 01-25-2022 Virtual Assembly of Governments Meeting

Browse Search

25 Slide #10 Visit the fol(owing websitesfor r - 1 Mayor Weaver thanked David Stancil for his presentation and invited people to ask questions. Commissioner Fowler thanked staff for the provision of parks and space for people during the pandemic. She asked for more information on bike and trail connectivity through parks. She asked if the plans include prioritizing bike and trail connectivity to business services. David Stancil said it was important to all the jurisdictions and very much a part of the plans from his observation. He said the trails systems connect people to important places and serve multiple functions. Phil Fleischman from the Town of Chapel Hill said he agreed, and that connectivity is a key focus for all the plans. Mayor Weaver said that connectivity is also part of the Hillsborough ethos around planning. Chair Price said she was pleased to see the work being done on connectivity. She asked for staff to keep in mind that some trails are not accessible to people with mobility issues, and there is a need for trails with surfaces that are navigable for people with differing abilities and should be accessible to all. David Stancil said it is one of the important things when developing new trails to make sure they are ADA accessible. Council Member Searing said there were pieces of property on the parks locator that are classified as a park that he does not see as parks. He said they he does not think some places fit the definition of a park and mentioned that he is specifically talking about areas where other landowners allow access like Brumley Forest Preserve and Carolina North. He suggested a different category for those types of properties on the park finder. David Stancil said that staff discussed that issue when putting together the map. He said the point was well taken. He said there are different types of open space available and they will look at this going forward. Council Member Searing said that UNC has been clear that Carolina North is not public land. He said that other jurisdictions are collaborating on building larger trail systems. He asked if this community is considering something similar. David Stancil said there are groups like the Triangle Trails Initiative and the East Coast Greenway Alliance, among others, that are examining large trail systems in the region. He said that the Mountain to Sea Trail is part of the state parks system and that outside of that, the focus has been inward in terms of building connections among the jurisdictions.