to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: Ray (Butch) Kisiah, Parks and Recreation Director
Bill Webster, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director
subject: Dedication of an Easement to OWASA for the Morgan Creek Trail Project
date: October 27, 2008
The purpose of this report is to recommend adoption of a resolution that would authorize the Manager to deed an easement to OWASA. The easement is required in order to provide access to the Merritt Pasture as part of the Morgan Creek Trail project.
On November 27, 2000, the Council adopted the Report of the Merritt Pasture Access Committee to the Town Council, which recommended that the Town build a first phase of the Morgan Creek Trail in order to achieve public access to the Merritt Pasture.
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 Morgan Creek Trail from Culbreth Road to the Carrboro Town line at Smith Level Road. The Plan also recommended development of a side trail to access Merritt Pasture.
On October 9, 2006, the Council adopted the Report of the Morgan Creek Trail Conceptual Plan Committee, which recommended building a trail to access the Merritt Pasture.
A Zoning Compliance Permit application for the trail project was submitted in 2008.
The Morgan Creek Trail is proposed to be a 10 foot wide concrete trail that would begin at Culbreth Road and end at Smith Level Road. The trail would be an extension of the existing Fan Branch Trail. The first phase is intended to begin at the Fan Branch Trail near Culbreth Road and end just east of Kingswood Apartments.
A natural surface trail would extend from the main paved trail on the north side of Morgan Creek and provide access to the Merritt Pasture. A bridge over a small tributary on the east side of Highway 15-501 would provide direct access to the pasture.
There is only one location on Town property suitable for construction of a bridge that would provide access to the Merritt Pasture and be permittable under federal flood protection rules. That location is currently occupied by some of OWASA’s sewer infrastructure. In order to build the bridge it would be necessary to relocate a portion of OWASA’s sewer line to a new 30 foot by 120 foot sewer easement. The Town would pay for the relocation as part of the Morgan Creek Trail construction project.
That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would authorize the Manager to deed an easement to OWASA for the Morgan Creek Trail project.
1. Sketch showing
Proposed Easement [68 Kb pdf] (p. 4).
2. Overview map showing the east end of the Morgan Creek Trail project
[1.6 MB pdf] (p. 5).