SUMMARY

On September 8, 2003 the Council authorized the Greenways Commission to explore possible revision of the Greenways Master Plan. In addition the Council authorized the Manager to seek input from Boards and Commissions. This report represents the completion of a study begun in September 2003 to update the 1998 Chapel Hill Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan.  A series of five public forums were held from October 2003 through April 2004. The input gathered during the forums in addition to other public comments received in various ways was used by  the staff to prepare a draft document that was then reviewed and refined by the Greenways Commission.  The Plan was further reviewed by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Board, Transportation Board, Planning Board, Parks  and Recreation Commission, local environmental organizations, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, adjoining local governments, and Town staff.

Goals of the Greenways Program

The Chapel Hill Greenways Program has three major goals that were originally identified in the 1998 Report:

1. To establish and maintain a system of linear open spaces that will help protect the environment of Chapel Hill.

2. To establish a system of trails, where appropriate, enabling citizens to enjoy the recreational benefits of a network of greenways throughout the Chapel Hill community.

3. To develop specific trails which may offer alternatives to automobile transportation.

Purpose of the Master Plan

This Master Plan provides a foundation for making sound planning and design decisions related to the continued preservation  of the Town’s greenway corridors.  The recommendations provided in the Plan will help to maintain a balance among the goals of the Greenways Program of resource protection, recreational use and transportation opportunities. It also provides the Council with an effective tool to enter into discussion and negotiation regarding regional open space preservation and trail development initiatives and for interacting with State agencies and other regulatory and funding agencies.

Changes to the 1998 Report

The 2005 Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan is designed to replace the 1998 Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan.  The changes reflect current Town conditions and conditions anticipated for the next decade.

The major changes found in the Comprehensive Greenways Master Plan are:

· Addition of recently annexed areas, new schools, planned Town parks, greenway land acquisitions and recent and planned private land developments.

· Addition of newly-identified trail segments to the greenways program.

· Recommendations to change the alignments of several trails.

· New list of high priority trails that could be built in the next seven years.

· New maps that are based on the adopted 2004 Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan.

· Identification of key trail intersections with NCDOT roads and suggested solutions for allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to cross these roads in a safe manner.

Current Condition of the Greenways Program

Since its first meeting in October 1985, the Greenways Commission has worked to expand the amount of land preserved by the Town and to plan and oversee construction of trails.

Current open space holdings total over 716 acres, most of which are within the greenways system.  Seven greenway projects have been built to date and account for approximately seven miles of recreational trails. This leaves about 21 miles of trail to be completed in the future in order to complete the trails portion of the master plan. In addition, five park trails that total approximately 4.25 miles have been built.

The following greenway trails are now being used:

                                                     TRAIL                            SURFACE       MILES

Battle Branch	Natural	1.5
Bolin Creek	Paved	1.5
Dry Creek	Natural	.5
Fan Branch	Paved	1.2
Lower Booker Creek	Paved	.85
Meadowmont	Paved	1
Tanyard Branch	Natural	.4
TOTAL		6.95

The following park trails are now being used:

                                                     TRAIL                            SURFACE       MILES

Cedar Falls	Natural	1.2
Jones Park	Natural	.25
N. Forest Hills	Natural	.5
Pritchard Park	Natural	1
Southern Community Pk.	Natural	1.5
TOTAL		4.45

Summary of Major Recommendations

This report continues to recommend the acquisition of 38 miles of linear open space.  The most active recreational use proposed for the greenway corridors identified in this report are bicycle and pedestrian trails.  Over 28 miles of the Town’s greenway corridors are suitable for development of paved or unpaved trails.  A variety of trail types are proposed to suit specific recreational or transportation priorities and specific site conditions.  Trails may range from natural surface foot paths and boardwalks utilized to negotiate sensitive or difficult site conditions to paved pedestrian and bicycle trails offering maximum recreational and transportation use.

The following six new greenway trails and trail segments could be completed by the year 2012 if funding and anticipated funding continues to be available and needed land is acquired:

• Bolin Creek, Phase III (Airport Road to Estes Drive Extension)
• Dry Creek (Perry Creek Road to Eastowne)
• Fan Branch Trail (Scroggs School to southern tip of Southern Community Park)
• Meadowmont Nature Trail (Rashkis School to Lancaster Drive and Meadowmont Road)
• Morgan Creek (Merritt Pasture to Smith Level Road)
• Upper Booker Creek (Weaver Dairy Road to Homestead Park with a spur to Rail Trail corridor)

A Look to the Future

The recommendations found in this Master Plan offer the present and future citizens of Chapel Hill a plan for integrating their urban environment with the natural world.

The adoption and endorsement of this Comprehensive Greenways Master Plan by the Council and the citizens of Chapel Hill is one step toward ensuring that goal.