Agenda 04-14-2026; 3 - Draft Orange County Trails Plan

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3 The draft Plan includes pages that provie a brief overview summary of the potential trail, key connections, length, and possible trail type, community needs addressed, required structures and crossings, and potential construction challenges. (Note — feasibility assessments and cost estimates would be created for each of these trails if approved as a part of the implementation process. The process for creating a prioritization of the trail options is on pages 68-69 of the Plan.) Based on the analysis in the plan, the highest priority trail is Trail 9 — MST via Eno River State Park to Durham, followed by Trail 2—the Chapel Hill to Hillsborough route. The lowest priority trail identified is Trail 8B— Little River Park to Cedar Grove Park. (These priorities are subject to future Board and staff discussion and evaluation and are provided as a "first cut" of a priority scheme.) Finally, the Implementation section of the Plan (page 70) looks at the trails and attempts to classify them into three (3) levels of phasing — Near-Term Opportunities, Mid-Term Opportunities and Long-Term Opportunities. The text box on page 73 outlines a possible course of action for the first 12 months of implementation, subject to further discussion. Possible phasing categorization is offered as a starting point for future discussion. The Plan concludes with sections on partnerships, funding potential, and an outline of an implementation plan. Upon receiving initial direction and feedback from the Board, it is proposed that the draft Plan be conveyed to relevant advisory boards for review and comment, to be returned to the Parks and Recreation Council for formal comment and recommendation before Board of Commissioners consideration. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact with receiving the presentation of the draft Trails Plan. Decisions on prioritization, phasing, and implementation will be needed as the Plan is reviewed and considered for action and cost estimates for the trails proposed in the Plan would be finalized as the Plan proceeds. Implementation of the Plan would need to be addressed in future Capital Investment Plans. ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports: • GOAL 1: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE ACTION OBJECTIVE 5. Review land use policies to promote and connect Town, County and private trails and open spaces. OBJECTIVE 7: Conserve and protect high-priority open space, including Natural Heritage sites, nature preserves, watershed riparian buffers, and prime/threatened farmland. • GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE 7. Invest in services and programs that improve the health and quality of life of the community (e.g., recreation and public open spaces, arts, etc.) RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board review the draft Trails Plan and provide feedback and direction as desired, and that the draft Plan be remanded to the Parks and Recreation Council and other advisory boards for further review and discussion.