AGENDA #4b
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Authorization to Execute Agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the Morgan Creek Trail Project
DATE: April 11, 2005
The attached resolution would accept $80,000 in Direct Allocation funds from the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and authorize the Town Manager to sign an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for use of the funds for the Morgan Creek Trail.
The attached budget ordinance would account for the grant in the project’s existing non-bond multi-year fund.
BACKGROUND
On May 26, 1998, the Council adopted the Chapel Hill Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan which recommends development of a Morgan Creek Trail from Culbreth Road to the Town line with Carrboro near Smith Level Road.
On November 27, 2000, the Council adopted the Report of the Merritt Pasture Access Committee to the Town Council. This Report recommends that the Town build a first phase of the Morgan Creek Trail in order to achieve public access to the Merritt Pasture.
On May 29, 2002, the Council authorized the Town Manager to accept $71,500 from NCDOT to prepare a conceptual plan for the Morgan Creek Trail and provided $17,875 for the required Town match. The Council also appointed a Morgan Creek Trail Concept Plan Committee.
The Morgan Creek Trail Concept Plan Committee met from November 2002 until June 2003. At that time the Committee recessed while waiting for the State to complete flood plain mapping of the Morgan Creek corridor. The study is needed to determine if proposed bridge locations are feasible. We discovered in mid-2004 that the State would not map the section of the creek proposed for the trail. In the fall of 2004, we started our own flood study and analysis of bridge locations which is anticipated to be completed by the summer of 2005. Once the study is complete, the Morgan Creek Trail Concept Plan Committee will be reactivated. The Committee’s report is anticipated to be presented to the Council in the fall of 2005.
In 2003, the Town requested that the MPO provide funding through the Direct Allocation program for several greenway projects including the Morgan Creek Trail. The MPO agreed to provide $80,000 in 2005 for planning and design and an additional $640,000 for construction in 2007.
On April 21, 2005, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School Board is scheduled to consider a Town request to grant a greenway easement to the Town across the Frank P. Graham School property adjacent to Morgan Creek.
DISCUSSION
Project Description: The Morgan Creek Trail is proposed to be a 10-foot wide asphalt and/or concrete trail that would allow pedestrian and bicycle traffic to continue from the current terminus of the Fan Branch Trail at Culbreth Road west to the Carrboro Town line near Frank Porter Graham School. The Town of Carrboro could extend the trail further upstream. A smaller natural surface trail would provide access east to the Merritt Pasture. Funds from the NCDOT would be used for detailed planning, design work, and construction administration after completion of the concept plan.
Budget: The additional budget for design would be $100,000. The NCDOT Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has provided $80,000 for the project. The required $20,000 local match is already in the Morgan Creek Trail project bond account and requires no additional funds from the Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would accept $80,000 in Direct Allocation funds from the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
If the Council adopts the resolution the Council should also enact the attached budget ordinance which would account for the grant in the non-bond multi-year project fund.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (NCDOT) FOR DESIGN FUNDS FOR THE MORGAN CREEK TRAIL (2005-04-11/R-3)
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has prepared and the Town of Chapel Hill entered into an agreement for the planning and design of a 1.2 mile long, 10-foot wide asphalt and/or concrete multi-use path from US 15-501/Culbreth Road to Smith Level Road, with additional access to the Merritt Pasture; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation and the Town of Chapel Hill now wish to supplement the Agreement to increase the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization funding an additional amount of $80,000; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill agrees to be responsible for a 20% ($20,000) local cost participation match for the design of the project;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that Project E-4601, Orange County, is hereby formally approved by the Town Council and that the Town Manager and Town Clerk of the Town of Chapel Hill are hereby empowered to sign and execute the Agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council that the Town Manager is authorized to use $20,000 in funds currently allocated for the Morgan Creek Trail for the required Town match.
This the 11th day of April 2005.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS ORDINANCE FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS (2005-04-11/O-1)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that, pursuant to Section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the capital projects ordinance for various capital projects funded from a variety of sources is hereby amended as follows:
The capital projects as authorized by the Town Council includes various capital projects funded from grants, the Capital Improvements Program funds, and other miscellaneous sources of revenue for a variety of projects extending beyond one fiscal year.
The Town Manager of the Town of Chapel Hill is hereby directed to proceed with implementation of these projects within terms of funds appropriated here.
Revenues anticipated to be available to the Town to complete the project are hereby amended as follows:
Current Budget Revised Budget
6,962,864 7,042,864
SECTION IV
Amounts appropriated for capital projects are hereby amended as follows:
Current Budget Revised Budget
Morgan Creek Trail 89,375 169,375
Other Projects 6,873,489 6,873,489
Total 6,962,864 7,042,864
SECTION V
The Town Manager is directed to report annually on the financial status of the project in an informational section to be included in the Annual Budget, and shall keep the Council informed of any unusual occurrences.
SECTION VI
Copies of this project ordinance shall be entered into the Minutes of the Council and copies shall be filed within five days of adoption with the Town Manager, Finance Director and Town Clerk.
This the 11th day of April, 2005.