Part 5

ACTION PLAN

Criteria for Land Acquisition and Trail Construction

The total acreage of easements and land needed to complete the greenway system is significant.  In addition, the program projects an eventual trail program that will require construction of over 28 miles of both unpaved and paved trails to be used for recreation and transportation purposes.  The needs outlined in this Plan will require a sustained land acquisition and trail construction effort that will spread the costs over many years.

The Town should look at the need to acquire open space and trails in both the developed portions of Town and in the few remaining areas anticipated to be developed in the future.  Acquisition is particularly critical in areas where changes in land use are occurring rapidly which may preempt or make recreation and public use more difficult. There are few remaining opportunities for acquisition of large tracts of land. However, at the time of this report some opportunities remain; especially in the rural buffer and in areas within Orange County but outside the Town’s jurisdiction.

Land Acquisition Priorities

The Town Council partially addressed the issue of setting land acquisition priorities by adopting a plan for the use of the 1989 parks and open space bond.  Of the total $5 million available, $168,000 was spent for the acquisition of greenways land.

The policy guidelines for use of the $3 million Open Space bond funds approved in 1996 have not yet been formulated.  The Council has directed the Greenways Commission to develop recommendations by June 1998.

At the time that this report was prepared the Town had about $1.5 million available from an Open Space bond approval in 2003. Recommended considerations for future land acquisition are listed from highest priority to lowest priority:

1.  Critical tracts in danger of immediate development.

2.  Land needed to construct trails currently in the planning process.

3.  Opportunities to take advantage of low prices or willing sellers.

4.  Land that is developable but not in immediate danger.

5.  Land in no foreseeable danger of development, but needed for the greenway system.

Trail Construction Priorities

Although the Town has acquired significant amounts of property, recreation area dedications, and easement dedications along identified greenway corridors these acquisitions have been spread out over the entire proposed greenways system.  Only a few identified projects have enough land under Town control that they can be considered for potential development in the near future, without major land acquisition efforts. 

In addition, only a select number of projects have any identified funding. Projects with funding are identified in Chart ????, page ???.

These potential projects include:

Projects that have significant amounts of land under Town control and some identified sources of funding include:

Bolin Creek, Phase III (Airport Road to Estes Drive Extension)

Planning underway in 2004

Construction anticipated for 2007

The Town controls much of the land from Airport Road to Estes Drive Extension, although large gaps in property ownership do exist.  The Town and Orange County agreed to spend at least $1,100,000 on this project in 2004. Efforts to design a trail corridor from Airport Road to Seawell School Road were started in the fall of 2004. Additional funds from the Town’s 2003 Parks bond could be become available in 2006.

This project would likely be the single most difficult greenway section undertaken by the Town due to the significant physical constraints along this section of Bolin Creek. However, it is a vital link if the Town is to merge its trail system with the future trail systems of Carrboro and Orange County. In addition, this section is a vital link to the Town’s own proposed Rail and North Trails. The combined Rail Trail, North Trail, and Bolin Creek Trail system could eventually provide safe, efficient, bicycle and pedestrian transportation from the Town’s northwest area to neighborhoods in southeast Chapel Hill. Eventually, major destinations would include a number of Town facilities and parks, UNC’s Carolina North campus, and several commercial areas.

Dry Creek (East Chapel Hill High School to Eastowne)

Planning for Project 1 completed, Project 2 underway in 2004, and Project 3 anticipated for 2006

Construction anticipated for 2005 (Projects 1 and 2) and 2009 (Project 3)

Project 1, Erosion Control and Signage: A natural surface trail has been constructed from East Chapel Hill High School to Perry Creek Road. The section from the school to San Juan Drive has almost disappeared from lack of use. Use is limited because of severe erosion problems on the school property. This project is funded and should be under contract by the spring of 2005. Once the erosion is corrected the trail will be reclaimed and signed.

Project 2, Bridge over Dry Creek: This project is funded and design is underway. Construction is anticipated in 2005. This involves about 1,000 feet of gravel trail and a bicycle/pedestrian trail over Dry Creek. Once the bridge is installed volunteers will be solicited to build a series of natural series trails throughout the open space.

Project 3, Improved Trail from Perry Creek Road to Eastowne: The Town owns all of the properties needed to build these proposed trails with the possible exception of an exit onto a public street in Eastowne. Design should start in 2006 with construction possible in 2009.

Fan Branch (Scroggs School to Merritt Drive)

Planning underway in 2004

Construction anticipated for 2005

Construction of the Southern Community Park could allow extension of the existing Fan Branch Trail as much as an additional ------- feet to the southern tip of the park.

Meadowmont Nature Trail (Rashkis School to Lancaster Drive and Meadowmont Road)

Planning complete

Construction underway in 2005

Construction of a natural surface trail from Rashkis School to Lancaster Drive with a branch leading to Meadowmont Road.

Morgan Creek (Merritt Pasture to Smith Level Road)       

Planning underway in 2004

Construction anticipated in 2007                                   

This would be an extension of the existing Fan Branch Trail, which currently ends at Culbreth Road. The main trail would extend about 1 mile to the west along Morgan Creek as a paved bicycle compatible trail. The trail would terminate at Smith Level Road. A natural surface spur trail would extend to the east to Merritt Pasture.

At the time this report was prepared the Town was in the process of planning for the project. In late 2004 the Town started a flood model exercise that should determine bridge locations and allow completion of a concept plan in 2005. The Town has acquired most of the land needed to complete this greenway segment. 

Upper Booker Creek (Weaver Dairy Road to Homestead Park with a spur to Rail Trail corridor)

Planning anticipated for 2006

Construction anticipated for 2009)                              

The Town owns all of the properties needed to build these trails. The main trail would extend from Homestead Park’s existing internal trail system north along Booker Creek to near Weaver Dairy Road. A spur trail would be constructed through the Parkside development to Weaver Dairy Road near the future Rail Trail corridor.

Dry Creek, Phase I

(Silver Creek Trail to Perry Creek Drive)

Recommendations of the Dry Creek Trail Advisory Committee for a Conceptual Plan for the greenway corridor were completed and approved by Council in June 1997.  Phase I construction of the Dry Creek greenway trail is anticipated to begin in Summer 1998.

Dry Creek, Phase II

(East Chapel High School to Silver Creek Trail)

The Town currently owns or expects to own the majority of the Dry Creek corridor from the new Chapel Hill East High School on Weaver Dairy Road to the Eastowne office development. Phase II trail construction is anticipated to begin in Summer 1998.

Lower Booker Creek, Phase II                                 (Booker Creek Road to Franklin Street)

Acquisition of one two-acre property and the expansion in the width of an existing easement would allow the Town to complete the Booker Creek Trail.  The Town Council authorized the project in September 1997 utilizing $14,000 from the Town’s General Fund, $56,000 from Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) direct allocation funds and $260,000 from an NCDOT Bicycle Program grant.

Upper Booker Creek

(Weaver Dairy Road to Homestead Park)                                        

The Town owns all of the properties needed to build this proposed trail corridor.  The Greenways Commission anticipates presenting a draft Conceptual Plan to the Town Council in 1998.

Beyond the year 2001, the following greenway trails have been identified as priority projects:

Bolin Creek, Phase III

(Airport Road to Estes Drive Extension)

The Town controls much of the property from Airport Road to Estes Drive Extension.  These lands include most of what would be required to build a trail from Village Drive to Pritchard Avenue Extension.  Some land acquisition would still be required, especially from Airport Road to Umstead Park.

Morgan Creek

(Smith Level Road to Merritt Pasture)       

The Town has acquired about half the land needed to complete this greenway segment.  Payment-in-lieu from the development of the Southern Village is anticipated in the year 2001 and will fund the construction of a bridge in this corridor.