AGENDA #10
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Bill Webster, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation |
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SUBJECT: |
Continuation of a Public Hearing: Concept Plan for the Bolin Creek Greenway (Phase III) |
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DATE: |
May 21, 2007 |
This is a continuation of the April 23, 2007 Public Hearing for the Concept Plan for the Bolin Creek Greenway (Phase III). The Council has an opportunity to consider the recommended changes suggested by the Greenways Commission and staff. The attached resolution would adopt the proposed plan. The resolution would also authorize the Manager to begin detailed design of the portion of the plan from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Umstead Park; begin land and easement acquisition of land that is needed for the trail project; and negotiate with the owner of 110 Umstead Drive for the possible long-term acquisition of the property.
In 2001, Orange County voters approved a parks bond that included $1,000,000 for the Bolin Creek Trail. In 2003 Chapel Hill voters approved a $5,000,000 parks bond that the Council has designated for greenways purposes.
In 2005, work started on the Concept Plan for the Bolin Creek Greenway (Phase III).
In January 2006, the Council adopted an updated version of the Chapel Hill Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan which recommended development of a paved bicycle and pedestrian multiple-use Bolin Creek Trail from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Millhouse Road in the northwest area of Chapel Hill. The Plan also recommended the upgrade of a portion of the Tanyard Branch Trail to the Northside neighborhood.
In 2006, the State of North Carolina completed enough of the work on the Bolin Creek floodway remapping project that we were able to complete initial bridge and culvert analysis to determine project feasibility.
On October 23, 2006, the Council accepted the Concept Plan for the Bolin Creek Greenway (Phase III) and referred it to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Greenways Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Project Planning Committee, Transportation Board, OWASA, Town of Carrboro, Orange County, and Town staff for comment and recommendations.
A public forum, which was attended by approximately 30 citizens, was held on December 12, 2006. The Council held a Public Hearing on April 23, 2007.
Phase III of the Bolin Creek Trail is proposed to be an extension of the existing 10 foot wide, multi-use Bolin Creek Trail from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard westward to Umstead Park. From there a spur of the trail would be routed south to the Northside neighborhood, while the main trail would continue northwest to Seawell School Road. The paved trail would be approximately 1.9 miles in length.
Based on comments received at the April 23, 2007 Public Hearing and subsequently from the Greenways Commission, we recommend that the Council adopt the revised Concept Plan for the Bolin Creek Greenway (Phase III). The plan contains the following changes:
1. Presentation of a Single Proposed Alignment: The revised draft report now has a single recommended trail alignment. All of the alternative options are now presented as an appendix. If conditions change that make the recommended alignment too difficult or impossible to pursue, then we can still use one of the identified alternative options.
2. Cross Umstead Drive At-Grade with a Design to Allow Future Below Grade Crossing: Because of the near term costs of building a new culvert and the costs associated with purchasing and demolishing a house on Umstead Drive, we now recommend that the trail cross Umstead Drive at-grade, with associated traffic calming measures. The design would allow for a future below-grade option.
3. Enter into Negotiations with the Owner of the House at the Intersection of Umstead Drive and Bolin Creek: Because the owner of the house has indicated that he might be willing to sell, we believe that we should explore the possibility of purchasing the property using some method of deferred purchase. This would only be pursued if the owner is willing, and if a purchase method could be mutually agreed upon that would benefit both the Town and the owner.
4. Add a New Option Along Estes Drive Extension to Access Carolina North: Due to the uncertainty of the schedule for widening Estes Drive Extension, we now show a means of reaching the future Carolina North campus that does not include a below-grade crossing of Estes Drive Extension at Bolin Creek. The route is shown on the south side of Estes Drive Extension. We believe that the proposed route would reach the new campus site more quickly and at less cost than the route along Bolin Creek.
The Bolin Creek option remains, in order to provide a connection with the future trail systems planned by Carrboro and Orange County; to provide a second access point to the Carolina North Campus; and to provide a more direct link to the public schools and neighborhoods along Bolin Creek and Seawell School Road.
The route between the Ironwoods neighborhood and the Norfolk Southern rail line has been eliminated from the recommended alignment and placed in the appendix section dealing with alternative options.
5. Tanyard Branch Extension: Maps in the report have been corrected to show the trail extending to Caldwell Street.
1. A citizen asked that a parking lot be located on Seawell School Road.
Staff Comment: We agree with this recommendation and will show a trail head parking lot at Seawell School Road. However, the property is owned by the University, and the land for such a facility would have to be provided by the University.
2. A citizen asked that all of the maps show the proposed upgrade of the Tanyard Branch Trail extending all of the way to Caldwell Street.
Staff Comment: We agree with this recommendation. The failure to show this extension was an oversight in the original document. The changes have been made.
3. Several citizens asked that the route between the Ironwoods neighborhood and the Norfolk Southern rail line be eliminated from the plan. A Council member asked that the option be retained in the plan in order to provide a route if Carrboro’s commitment to the project might change in the future.
Staff Comment: We agree that the routing option near Ironwoods should be removed as the recommended alignment. We also agree with the Council member that the option should be retained in the event that it might be needed in the future. The recommended alignment in the plan no longer shows the option adjacent to Ironwoods. However, the option has been moved to the appendix section. In practical terms, we will work to implement the recommended option. In the event that conditions might force us to look at other options, we would report back to the Council.
4. A citizen asked that the topic of stream bank restoration be included in the plan.
Staff Comment: We agree with this recommendation. Information related to stream bank restoration has been added.
5. A Council member suggested that Pritchard Avenue Extension be crossed at-grade rather than below-grade.
Staff Comment: We believe that an at-grade crossing of Pritchard Avenue Extension is not possible if we are to remain on the south bank of Bolin Creek. The natural grades on the east side of the road are almost the same as the road surface, while the grade drops sharply on the west side. An at-grade crossing would force the use of a lengthy bridge structure to get users from road level to natural grade near the park property. Because of pre-existing development and the proximity of Bolin Creek, we believe that a fill slope would not be a practical solution.
We could use an at-grade alignment to cross Umstead Drive, and then cross to the north bank of the creek. However, we believe the obstacles are formidable, and the solutions would be very expensive. This would require an extra bridge and would likely require us to move a section of Umstead Drive.
6. A Council member asked that the project be phased in such a way that enough funds remain to build some type of pedestrian connection to Carrboro from the point that the main paved trail ends.
Staff Comment: We believe that the best way to approach this project is to extend the existing Bolin Creek Trail as far to the west as funds will allow. However, we agree with the Council member’s comment. Once we enter into final detailed design we will investigate what gaps remain in the sidewalk connections to Carrboro, and plan to reserve enough funds to complete the connection.
7. A Council member asked for more information related to the size of the existing culvert at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Staff Comment: The section dealing with the culvert has been upgraded to better show the dimensions.
The Council referred the comments from the April 23, 2007 public hearing to the Greenways Commission for further comment. Please see the attached recommendation from the Greenways Commission.
1. We believe that any extension of the trail from its current terminus at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the west will have many short-term benefits including increasing the numbers of people that would have direct access to the trail, allowing safe access under Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for both trail users and pedestrians in general, increasing the length of the existing trail for recreational purposes, and increasing the numbers of destinations for transportation purposes.
Staff Comment: We agree that the best way to approach this project is as a westward extension of the existing Bolin Creek Trail.
2. We recommend that the Council plan and build the trail to our highest design standards, even if the expenditure of more funds today results in a shorter phase one construction project. We think that relaxing our standards in order to gain additional feet of trail today would make the trail less useful, especially for the young, the elderly, and mobility challenged. In addition, the cost of future upgrades would be disruptive and costly in the narrow Bolin Creek valley.
Staff Comment: We agree that the best way to approach this project is to adhere to our usual standards to the greatest extent possible. The concept plan deals with a single trail segment that will eventually be part of a much larger trail system that will connect almost the entire Town. Any relaxation of standards would result in a compromised segment in this much larger trail system.
3. The Commission believes that the single most important element of the Bolin Creek Concept Plan (Phase III) is the proposed below-grade crossing of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The Commission strongly recommends that the trail be located within the existing culvert to avoid either at-grade crossings of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard or the addition of a smaller, more confined, and more expensive culvert to the north.
The existing culvert is large with more than adequate natural lighting. The alternative options would likely be more costly. Any at-grade street crossing of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would create a potentially dangerous situation that would actively discourage trail use. Even if the first phase of trail development is shorter than we would like, the extension of the existing trail beneath Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Umstead Drive would have enormous safety and accessibility benefits.
Staff Comment: We agree that a below-grade crossing of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is one of the most important elements of the plan and has the potential to make crossing the road safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. The proposal would allow such a crossing with no contact with vehicles. We believe the culvert is large and airy enough for such a purpose.
4. The Commission supports the idea of proceeding with the design for an at-grade crossing of Umstead Drive with the provision for a future below-grade crossing. Although they believe that the best approach would be to build the below-grade option in the first phase, Commission members support this idea because of the high cost of the below-grade option and our limited budget. They recommend that in the long-run the trail should be located beneath Umstead Drive to enhance safety and usability of the trail.
Staff Comment: We agree with the Commission. The plan now reflects this idea.
5. The Commission recommends that the Town now attempt to purchase the property at the southeast corner of Umstead Drive and Bolin Creek, if the owner is willing to sell. The Commission recommends that this approach not wait, but instead suggests that some deferred purchase methods be explored if funds are not currently available for an outright purchase this year.
Staff Comment: We agree with the Commission. The plan now reflects this idea.
6. The Commission agrees with the comment that the Ironwoods subdivision option be kept in the plan until such time as Carrboro implements its plan to extend the trail along Bolin Creek. However, the Commission believes that the option adjacent to Ironwood subdivision should not be the recommended option, and should be used only if all other options are ultimately deemed impractical.
Staff Comment: We agree with the Commission. The plan now reflects this recommendation.
7. The Commission agrees that a parking area along Seawell School Road would be beneficial once a final alignment is determined, and if the University is willing to provide the necessary land.
Staff Comment: We agree with the Commission. The plan now reflects this proposal.
8. The Commission agrees that the proposed greenway option that would be adjacent to Estes Drive Extension should be extended both to the east to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and west to Carrboro. The Commission also agrees with a Council member’s recommendation that greenway funds not be used to pay for such a facility.
Staff Comment: We agree with this recommendation. The plan now reflects these recommendations.
9. The Commission supports the concept of stream bank restoration; although how that is to be brought into this project should be left to the detailed design of phase one.
Staff Comment: We agree with this recommendation. The plan now reflects this idea.
10. The Commission believes that the Plan should retain the below-grade crossing of Pritchard Avenue Extension as currently described in the plan, due to slope considerations.
Staff Comment: We agree with this recommendation. The plan continues to show the below-grade crossing.
Budget: We recommend that the Council establish a preliminary budget, utilizing both Town and Orange County bonds, for the Bolin Creek Trail. We recommend using the following source of funds:
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Town Parks Bond (already allocated) |
650,000 |
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Town Parks Bond (2008 bond sale) |
1,400,000 |
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Orange County Parks Bond (already allocated) 1 |
75,000 |
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Total Proposed Preliminary Budget |
2,125,000 |
1 The Town has requested that the County make the remaining $925,000, earmarked by the County for the Bolin Creek Trail, available for the Southern Community Park project. We have requested that the Bolin Creek Trail funds be replaced by the County if the County passes a future Parks bond.
Phasing Plan: We believe that the Bolin Creek Trail would likely be built in at least two and possibly more phases, due to the unusually high construction costs we anticipate in this area. We recommend that once a concept plan is adopted, the initial detailed design be limited to the portion of the project from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Umstead Park.
Proposed Schedule: We propose the following schedule:
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Detailed Design & Permitting |
July 2007 – December 2008 |
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Land and Easement Acquisition |
July 2007 – December 2008 |
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Start Construction of Phase I |
March 2009 |
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Complete Project |
March 2010 |
The later part of this schedule is speculative, and is contingent upon early success in securing easements and properties, as well as dealing with flood and stream regulatory agencies.
With previous projects, land and easement acquisition issues have, on occasion, contributed to significant delays. In order to minimize any potential delays, we would begin the land acquisition process as quickly as possible.
In addition, the above schedule is contingent upon successful flood modeling that proves that the project can be achieved without a rise in calculated floods. If problems arise related to permits for floodway or stream encroachments, the process might take considerably longer.
That the Council adopt the attached resolution which would adopt the Concept Plan for the Bolin Creek Greenway (Phase III). The resolution would also authorize the Manager to begin detailed design of the first phase of development, and begin needed easement acquisition, including negotiations with the owner of the house and lot at the southeast corner of Umstead Drive and Bolin Creek.