AGENDA #4o
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Draft Greenways Commission Comprehensive Master Plan
DATE: June 15, 2005
The attached resolution would accept the draft 2005 Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan and refer the document to the Manager, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Greenways Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Board, and Transportation Board for comments and recommendations. The resolution would also authorize the Manager to schedule a public hearing for November 14, 2005.
The Greenways Master Plan was originally adopted as a component of the Town's Comprehensive Plan on May 26, 1998. The 2000 Comprehensive Plan lists it as a component in Appendix A.
On September 8, 2003, the Council authorized the Greenways Commission to hold a series of public forums to solicit comments from the public concerning possible amendments to the Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan.
The current Greenways Master Plan has helped guide greenway acquisition and trail development since its initial adoption in 1998. However, we believe that it may be beneficial to consider several possible changes.
The Greenways Commission held a series of five Public Forums in 2004 and 2005 to solicit comments and recommendations for changes to the current document. Approximately 60 citizens attended the meetings and provided input. In addition, numerous telephone and e-mail communications were received from citizens who desired to comment but could not attend the meetings. The Commission used the information gathered to develop recommendations for the attached first draft.
The draft 2005 Report contains the major goals and themes of past documents while addressing specific changes that have occurred since the publication of the 1998 Report. Some sections have been left unchanged while other sections have been heavily revised to respond to new conditions. The major changes made to the draft 2005 document relate to the changing financial and physical conditions of the Town and its neighboring jurisdictions including:
• New sources of greenways funding including the 2003 Parks Bond and NCDOT Direct Allocation funds.
• Development of some properties earlier considered for greenway development.
• Town purchase of lands not envisioned in the 1998 Report.
• Work of neighboring jurisdictions and citizen advisory boards.
In addition we have utilized our own GIS capabilities to generate maps for the report. At the end of the draft report are the current maps that would be deleted and the proposed new maps prepared using the Town's GIS system.
Manager's Recommendation: That the Council accept the draft 2005 Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan and refer the document to the Manager, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Greenways Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Board, and Transportation Board for comments and recommendations. The resolution would also authorize the Manager to schedule a public hearing for November 14, 2005.
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A RESOLUTION REFERRING THE DRAFT 2005 GREENWAYS COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN TO THE MANAGER, BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD, GREENWAYS COMMISSION, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, PLANNING BOARD, AND TRANSPORTATION BOARD FOR COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (2005-06-15/R-12)
WHEREAS, on May 26, 1998, the Council adopted the Chapel Hill Greenways Master Plan as a component of the Town's Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, on September 8, 2003, the Council authorized the Greenways Commission to begin work on a revised Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Greenways Commission and staff have completed a draft 2005 Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council accepts the draft Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan and refers the document to the Manager, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Greenways Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Board, and Transportation Board for comments and recommendations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is authorized to schedule a Public Hearing to review the proposed changes to the Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan for November 14, 2005.
This the 15th day of June, 2005.